Chapter 52: The Lightning Genius of the Hunter Training Academy
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 52: The Lightning Genius of the Hunter Training Academy
Chirp, chirp, chirp—
The sound of cicadas echoed all around.
The mid-August weather was scorching hot, and I was on a bus, heading somewhere.
[So, you finished your hospital visits yesterday?]
“Yeah, they said I don’t need to come back anymore.”
The person I was talking to on the phone was none other than Kkotbi.
I had been calling her about once a day to help with her mental care, and as a result, we had both become quite familiar with each other’s schedules.
[You went through a lot. I wish I could have helped.]
“You were overseas then, Kkotbi. Besides, you’re so famous you’d draw a crowd. I probably couldn’t have called you even if you were in the country, right?”
[I suppose so. Being famous has its downsides.]
Kkotbi let out a sigh that sounded a little disappointed, but her voice quickly brightened again.
[By the way, my new song comes out tomorrow.]
“I know. Ahyu’s been singing it every day, going on about how the new song is coming out.”
[She’s the same as ever. If I weren’t so busy with the new song, I’d be on the game.]
Kkotbi had been so busy preparing for her new song lately that she hadn’t even been able to log into the game.
In the past, she would have played the game even with such a hectic schedule, but that was when she was pushing her body to its limits under the influence of self-hypnosis.
Now that she was gradually reducing the hypnosis, this was her normal state.
“Don’t you dare try to log in. I’ll give you an earful.”
[Hehe, I got it. I’m having a concert when the new song comes out. I want to invite you and Ahyu. You’ll come, right?]
“I’ll buy the light stick, the clothes, all the merch.”
[You in Blackstar merch… that would be pretty funny. I’ll have to take a picture.]
I could hear Kkotbi’s joyful laughter.
Maybe it was because her voice was so pleasant, but just hearing her laugh seemed to lift my spirits.
[And I’ll try to make some time between late August and early September. Let’s go hang out then.]
“With Ahyu too, right? She’s been driving me crazy lately, going on and on about the beach. I should be done with my hunter registration by then, so let’s do that.”
For some reason, Kkotbi didn’t answer right away.
“Kkotbi?”
[Ah, s-sorry. For a moment, I just… had a strange feeling. R-Right, with Ahyu too. Let’s go hang out.]
When I asked, Kkotbi started stammering as if she was flustered.
I heard her mutter faintly on the other end, “Why am I being like this?” and tilted my head in confusion.
[I’ll call you again tomorrow!]
And just like that, the call ended.
I stared blankly at my phone for a moment before scratching my head.
Well, whatever.
“We have arrived. Everyone, please prepare to get off.”
Just then, the bus came to a stop, and people began to file out one by one.
Following them, I stepped off and saw a school located a little ways from the city center.
The name written on the building was the Hunter Training Academy.
Although the course was only two weeks long, it was a mandatory academy one had to attend to register as a hunter.
I was even wearing the official tracksuit for the Hunter Training Academy students.
Anyone could tell I was a student here.
Me, registering as a hunter.
It was a bit absurd, but just as Baek Seol-hyang had said, an ordinary citizen with powers was definitely a problem.
The desire to find my sister, who had appeared once only to vanish again, still lingered.
For that reason, if nothing else, I had decided to register as a hunter.
Thanks to that, I’d even requested a leave of absence from work, telling them I had awakened.
A leave request submitted directly to the chairwoman.
It was thrilling.
It feels like just yesterday that I gave up because I couldn’t awaken as a hunter and focused on my studies.
To think I was now achieving the dream I had given up at sixteen, now that I was twenty-six.
In many ways, I was deeply moved.
Thump!
Just then, I felt a sudden bump from behind and turned my head.
“What the? Why are you blocking the way?”
A man with a fierce expression was standing there. It seemed he had bumped into me despite the considerable distance between us.
In the past, I would have been scared.
“Hey, what are you doing? Let’s go.”
It seemed the couple had awakened at the same time, as the woman who had been walking ahead turned back.
Perhaps because of everything I’d been through recently, I offered a sheepish smile and said:
“What’s your problem? You’re the one who bumped into me.”
Ah, my true thoughts slipped out by mistake.
“Whoa, what the hell? Is this guy crazy?”
The man’s face slowly contorted.
In that time, the woman approached and wrapped her arm around her boyfriend’s.
“What is it? What’s going on?”
“This bastard is trying to start something. A punk like this needs to be taught a lesson.”
Perhaps because his girlfriend was watching, he rolled up his sleeves and acted threateningly.
Watching him, I silently raised my arm.
As their gazes followed my raised arm, I shouted toward a woman getting off the bus.
“Instructor, this person is trying to assault me!”
Victory goes to the one who strikes first.
The one who tattles first wins.
“Wh- Hey, you bastard!”
“What’s going on?”
An instructor always rides the Hunter Training Academy’s dedicated bus.
Since the bus is full of newly awakened hunters who can’t properly control their powers yet, an instructor is present in case any trouble breaks out.
“What the hell, how pathetic! Honey, let’s just go!”
“Shit, I’ll get you next time.”
As the instructor approached, the couple panicked and quickly ran off toward the academy.
What a bunch of small fry.
“Thank you. Instructor, you’re my savior.”
“? Yes, well, please try not to cause a disturbance.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
With that, I trotted toward the academy.
“You could have just sent a guy like that flying with one punch. Why go through all that trouble?”
Hearing Baeksan’s words, I turned to him with a look of disbelief.
“Baeksan, in your opinion, was that guy just now stronger than Kwak Sa-yeon when she was a dimensional entity?”
“He’d die in one hit.”
“Then what would happen if I, the one who sent that Kwak Sa-yeon flying in one hit, landed a punch on him?”
“He’d die, I guess.”
As expected of our brilliant regressor.
“I’m not trying to kill an innocent person.”
It’s not like I’m some crazed murderer.
“If you let a guy like that go, he’s bound to cause trouble later.”
“That’s the beauty of an academy. The cliché is that you meet as enemies like this, but in the end, you become friends.”
“You bastard, did your brain get cooked back then? Are you going to keep spouting bullshit?!”
It didn’t work.
Before Baeksan could say anything more, I ignored him and entered the academy.
Once inside, various scenes of the interior came into view.
I had seen it in photos and videos before, but perhaps because this was my first time seeing it in person, it felt new and impressive.
If things had gone as planned, I would have come to the Hunter Academy for practical training in my third year of university.
Not everyone at the Hunter Academy was a hunter; there were many regular staff members, so some people ended up getting jobs here.
After all, it was a government position.
I wonder if I would have ended up here if things had gone well.
Come to think of it, Baek Seol-hyang and I had talked about attending university together.
Since both of us have our companies, it would be difficult during the day, so it would probably have to be night school.
Ah, but then would that diminish the campus life vibe that Baek Seol-hyang wants?
After mulling it over, I shrugged.
Instead of worrying about it alone, I could just talk it over with her later.
In the meantime, I entered the auditorium and took a seat.
They would probably give an introduction to the academy and talk about various other things.
The instructors were moving around, seemingly preparing, so it looked like there was still some time left. I took out my phone.
As always, the first thing I opened was the Lord of Academy chat.
[Jugeumbitgwa Simjangnimi: Raises a hand and says hello.]
[Doremi Fasol: Juksim-nim, hey. You’re on early today too.]
[Jugeumbitgwa Simjangnimi: Says she is in the middle of a new quest that just came out.]
[Doremi Fasol: Ah, you mean the one that was just released?]
[Jugeumbitgwa Simjangnimi: Reproaches you, saying she’s disappointed you’re not doing it with her.]
[Doremi Fasol: Sorry. Something came up. What about the others?]
[Jugeumbitgwa Simjangnimi: Says that Naneun-extra is coming on later.]
Hearing the name Naneun-extra, I was surprised.
It had been a very long time since I’d heard that name.
[Doremi Fasol: Naek? Didn’t he brag about downloading some new game and then we never heard from him again?]
[Jugeumbitgwa Simjangnimi: Says he cleared it and has returned.]
It felt like it had been months since he was last on.
Was the game really that long?
I was happy to hear that this guy who had been out of touch for so long was coming back, but at the same time, I was a little annoyed with him.
[Doremi Fasol: Alright. I’ll try talking to him if he’s on later.]
“A warm welcome to everyone in the third quarter class of 2030.”
At that moment, I heard a voice, put my phone away, and looked up.
A middle-aged man, presumably the principal, had stepped onto the stage and begun speaking into the microphone.
His speech wasn’t anything special.
The Hunter Training Academy was an academy in name only.
In reality, it was just a place to teach newly awakened, anxious individuals the proper way to use their powers, educate them, and inform them about how the law applies to them.
That’s why the training period is only two weeks long.
After completing this course, those who want to become hunters will look for a company, while many others will return to their normal lives.
Not everyone who awakens as a hunter wants to live as one.
“This concludes the entrance ceremony. After the instructors introduce themselves, we will assign you to your classes and dormitories for the next two weeks. Ah, and one more thing.”
The principal offered a faint smile.
“We have invited a special guest instructor who will be joining us for the third quarter of 2030.”
A special guest?
Just as I was wondering who it could be, I saw a man walk onto the stage and froze.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Seo-ho, Seo-ho oppa!”
Suddenly, screams erupted from the female students’ section.
The male students joined in the chaos, shouting things like, “Seo-ho? Snow Mountain Wolf?” and “Holy crap, it’s Ha Seo-ho!”
As I stared at the stage with a dumbfounded expression, Ha Seo-ho, standing there with his hands behind his back, began to speak.
“A pleasure to meet you all. I am Ha Seo-ho, and I will be serving as a temporary instructor for this quarter. I look forward to working with you.”
The moment he finished his greeting, the entire place went wild.
It was only natural; one of the nation’s representative hunters had come to the academy in person.
“Is he here for casting?”
“Is there someone special in this quarter? Wow, how did they get Ha Seo-ho?”
Amid the commotion, my eyes met Seo-ho’s.
He smiled at me, his eyes saying, Hyung-nim, leave everything to me during your time at the academy. I covered my face and lowered my head.
They say the riper the rice, the lower it bows its head.
My face was ripening in a different sense, so I lowered my head too.
“Didn’t Snow Mountain Wolf just look this way and smile?”
Just then, I heard a somewhat monotone voice next to me.
When I looked up, a man with a generally slender build was looking at me.
“No. I think you’re mistaken.”
“Is that so?”
He tilted his head, glancing back and forth between Seo-ho and me, but I kept my mouth shut and said nothing.
Meanwhile, Seo-ho finished his introduction along with the other instructors and left the stage, which sent the students’ excitement through the roof.
But the problem didn’t end there.
Afterward, classes were assigned, and instructors were appointed.
Seo-hooo.
When I saw that Seo-ho was the instructor for my class, I had to cover my face with my hands.
You brat, are you trying to kill me with embarrassment?