The Worst Awakening 2
The air in the conference room had been tense from the start. More precisely, it wasn't heavy—it was cold.
Korea Academy main building, top floor. A conference room with no external windows. Instructors, administrators, and administrative heads filled the seats around a round table. No one chatted. No one picked up their coffee cups. They all already knew. A fatal accident had occurred during the midterm evaluation. And how much of a stain that could be on the name of Korea Academy.
A moment later, the door opened. Dean Seo-mun Hyeok entered. As soon as he sat down, he spoke without greeting. “Report.”
His voice was low, without inflection.
One instructor stood up and displayed the organized materials. “It was an accident during a sparring match in the midterm evaluation.”
“The opponent was Class D student Min Jae-hoon. The other student was Class D student Han Do-yoon.”
Diagrams of the training ground and barrier logs appeared on the screen. “The barrier functioned normally.”
“But it suddenly exceeded the lethal judgment threshold.”
“Perhaps—” The instructor paused briefly. “There was a malfunction, and the attack was excessively precise, with perfect timing.”
Another instructor added, “In short, it should be considered an 'accident' caused by a clear skill gap and a temporary mechanical error.”
A brief silence fell over the conference room. Seo-mun Hyeok broke it. “What about the training ground facilities?”
“Top-tier. By Academy standards—or even national standards, they're the best.”
“Yet?” Seo-mun Hyeok's gaze slowly pressed down on the instructor. “Yet a student died from a temporary mechanical error?”
The air grew even colder. “It seems you've forgotten what kind of place this school is.”
His voice remained low, but anger was clearly mixed in. “This is the 'best Hunter training institution.' The facilities, personnel, and management are all top-notch.”
He tapped the table with his fingertips. “And yet, a fatal accident occurred during the midterm evaluation due to a mere mechanical error? That's not an accident—it's a management failure.”
Someone spoke up. “Dean, regarding the media response—”
“Handle it yourselves.” The words were cut off. “Whether it's cover-up, deflection, or any other method, it doesn't matter.”
“Just make sure the Academy's authority is never shaken.”
No one refuted that. Seo-mun Hyeok moved to the next set of materials. This time, it was a student report. “The deceased student.”
The name appeared. Min Jae-hoon. Potential: D Current Ability: D
Seo-mun Hyeok's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. “……Is that all?”
“Yes.”
“It's almost laughable that he's D-rank.” He snorted. “So the Academy's name was tarnished by this trash?”
Someone cautiously said, “Still, a student died—”
“Student?” Seo-mun Hyeok looked up. “They're Hunter candidates. And their potential and current ability are both D-rank. Do I really need to concern myself with useless resources that will sort themselves out once they enter a dungeon anyway?”
There was no emotion in his words. No anger, no sorrow, no pity. “Handle it yourselves.”
“Compensate the family according to regulations.”
And finally, he said, “Nothing more is needed.”
The atmosphere in the conference room grew colder than it could possibly go. Seo-mun Hyeok flipped to the next materials. This time, it was another name. Han Do-yoon.
For a moment, the air in the conference room shifted. He said, “Wasn't he an unawakened?”
“Yes. There was no awakening record up until the time of the accident.”
“Yet.” Seo-mun Hyeok's gaze fixed on the screen. “He defeated an awakened? Even if it was D-rank, he defeated an awakened.”
He tapped the table with his finger. “Does that make sense? Is there a possibility he awakened during the match?”
The instructor nodded. “We're currently investigating. It's presumed he awakened during the sparring.”
Seo-mun Hyeok's eyes changed for the first time. Interest. Very blatant interest. “Still, he's the son of S-rank parents, after all.”
Seo-mun Hyeok said. The report screen enlarged. Potential: S → F Current Ability: F
He stared at that notation in silence for a while. There was no surprise or anger. Just eyes confirming the facts again. “It's still the same.”
He spoke in a low voice. “Unawakened. And until the accident, F.”
Seo-mun Hyeok continued without taking his eyes off the report. “Yet.” A short silence. “He took down an awakened. In a match, and in one blow.”
The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. It was more a reaction of interest than a smile. “Do you think it was his own skill?”
Someone answered cautiously, “At this point—it hasn't been confirmed.”
“In the best place like this, nothing is properly identified. You're all incompetent.”
Seo-mun Hyeok spoke as if annoyed. “Then let's correct it first.” His words were short. “Potential. Change it back to S, and current ability—”
He thought for a moment before adding, “D. Variable.”
The input field was quietly updated. Potential: S → F → S (Reclassified) Current Ability: D (Variable)
Seo-mun Hyeok checked the updated screen once more. “The investigation?”
“It's ongoing, but the student's condition is still—”
“Make sure it progresses quickly.” The words didn't overlap. “Regarding whether he awakened, before or after the accident. Bring the facts as quickly as possible.”
He leaned back in his chair and spoke calmly. “Whether he's useful or if it was a coincidence. I'm curious.”
No more words were needed in the conference room. “Add Han Do-yoon to the management list and adjust the observation intensity after the investigation.”
“That's all.” Seo-mun Hyeok concluded.
Meanwhile, I was sitting in an isolated space. The metal chair's backrest was low, and the floor was cold. It felt like a seat not made for sitting, but for preventing escape.
Across from me sat an instructor. His expression was calm, but his eyes were not. “Let's go over the situation at the time from the beginning again.”
I closed my mouth for a moment. I tried to organize it, but it wouldn't come together. “……I don't remember well.”
After saying it, strangely, my breath quickened. It wasn't a lie. The scene of Jae-hoon collapsing and the sentence that tore into my mind right after overlapped and came to mind.
The instructor didn't immediately write down my words. Instead, he spoke slowly, very slowly. “This isn't something that can be glossed over.”
His voice was low but definitely pressuring. “It was a fatal accident during a match. And you—” He looked straight at my face. “You're a student reported as unawakened. If you continue to be uncooperative like this, the Academy can't help you either.”
My heart beat a beat late. “I'll ask again, so answer carefully. Perhaps.” He continued. “Did you awaken during the match?”
“And was the skill activated regardless of your will?”
I swallowed my breath. Those words were both a threat and an escape route at the same time. “If that's the case.” The instructor spoke in a slightly softer tone. “This wasn't intentional. It's an accident with overlapping misfortunes. So it's hard to see it as 100% your responsibility, and we can help you. So it would be good if you judge well and tell me now.”
I looked down at my hands. They were still trembling slightly. “…I really don't know.”
He looked up. “What don't you know?”
I continued slowly. “The awakening… I think it's probably correct. No, it is correct.”
The moment those words left my mouth, my stomach churned. “But.” I gritted my teeth. “I have no memory of using the skill. What ability it is. How it was activated either.”
“Really— I don't know. I was just trying to hold out until the end for the midterm evaluation and counterattack by looking for an opening, but why did this happen.”
A moment of silence passed. The instructor looked at my face for a long time. It wasn't eyes trying to detect a lie, but eyes calculating where to classify this situation. “……Alright, I understand.”
He spoke quietly. “To summarize, according to the party's opinion, he awakened during the match, but whether the skill was used during the match is unconfirmable. Correct?”
He stood up from his seat and added, “You don't have to worry too much. Even in actual dungeons, fatal accidents are rather common. Think of it as experiencing early what others experience late. Don't dwell on it too much, and if it's too hard, it's okay to take a break from the Academy for a while.”
“First, today we'll just send you home.”
Those words sounded strangely heavy. “And there will be contact. If possible—” He turned his gaze toward the door. “It would be best not to say anything to the media or on SNS.”
A moment later, the door opened. I walked down the hallway as is. I felt someone's gaze, but I didn't look up. I don't remember the way home. When I walked all the way to the front of the house either. But one thing is clear: that day, I returned home. And that Korea Academy officially reported that I had awakened. The person who felt that fact the latest was probably me.