Lion's Roar Training #2
Lion's Roar Training #2
The morning after all that chaos.
"Alright."
I grabbed the gift I'd prepared yesterday while shopping with Si-hoo. The subtle weight of it in my hands steadied me more than anything. With this, I'm golden. That was the grand ambition in my heart as I stepped out of my room—
And there was Si-hoo.
"Huh?"
"Good morning, Geun-cheol."
Not a hair out of place.
Si-hoo waved at me in greeting.
"What the... you're already up? I said I was heading out early."
"I just woke up early too. Let's go together."
Si-hoo smiled as usual, and that's how we ended up heading to school a bit earlier than normal.
"Geun-cheol. What are you going to do when you see Ahn Do-min?"
"What do you mean, do? I already crushed him once and that was the end of it. Now we get along. Didn't I say? We have to become one. That bastard Ahn Do-min is no exception."
If he doesn't play along, my fists will make him. Just try me. If he acts like a punk, I'll straighten him out myself. First, I'll start by teaching him basic manners and making him apologize to the classmates he ignored.
That's how I'll make a person out of him and get him to fit in with the class.
Same goes for the rest of the deadweight.
"Ooh. As expected. Geun-cheol, you're already putting in student council president work?"
Si-hoo, slightly bending at the waist, looked up at me with a hand covering her mouth as she said it in a teasing tone!
"Who's gonna be student council president?! I'm not doing it!"
What a terrifying thing to say!
"Heheh, what do you mean not doing it. Hearing you talk now, you really sound like the student council president."
"Hey. Yesterday you said the school would go to ruin if I became president."
"That was a joke, a joke! But Geun-cheol, you're actually making some decent points, surprisingly. Honestly, wouldn't you do a good job? It kinda suits you. The whole yelling and leading people? You'd be good at it, no?"
Me, leading people by yelling at them.
I don't have any experience with that, though.
"..."
I suddenly thought back to my past life. I had zero connection to anything like a student council president there either.
"Doesn't Leona seem like a better fit than me?"
"Yeah, she does."
Even Si-hoo acknowledges Student Council President Leona.
I obviously acknowledge it too.
"Alright, I'm off. Si-hoo, I'm going to go say hi to the Chairwoman. Let the others know if they're looking for me."
"Okay."
After splitting from Si-hoo, I headed for the Chairwoman's office.
—Step, step.
I tensed up automatically as I walked.
"Alright."
Why the hell do I get so nervous every time I come here? Just thinking about the shit I pulled on orientation day to draw aggro still makes my face burn. Please, just let nothing happen today. I came mentally prepared for the Lion's Roar, too. Mentally, at least.
—Knock, knock.
I pulled myself together and knocked on the door.
"Enter."
I heard the Chairwoman's voice.
"Yes, ma'am!"
I answered brightly and opened the door to step inside.
"Hello, Chairwoman!"
"Hm?"
The Chairwoman, who had been doing paperwork, lifted her head to look at me.
Her age is a mystery, but her face looks like she's in her twenties no matter how I look at it. Plus that charismatic black ponytail. On top of that, an old-fashioned uniform with slightly padded shoulders.
I can't tell since she's sitting, but I'm sure she's wearing boots. Boots suit her tall frame perfectly... she's the epitome of absolute badassery.
The black longsword propped up by the window also radiates a level of insane coolness.
"You... Kim Geun-cheol!!!"
The moment she recognized me, the Chairwoman's voice burst out—but I was already prepared!
"Hyahp!"
I mustered all my strength to endure the blast of wind. Aside from my body lifting off the ground as if I'd jumped on the moon, nothing else of note happened.
I won!
"You walking disaster! You've been disciplined three times!"
"Ack, oh dear! I'm sorry!"
"Just like on orientation day! A total disaster, a disaster! This Kim Geun-cheol!"
"I'm sorry, Chairwoman!"
She suddenly started shouting at me, so I bowed at the waist in apology! Wow, but come to think of it, the Chairwoman was the one who gave me that 'Kim Geun-cheol' title, huh?
"But that's fine! Doesn't matter!"
"Excuse me?"
"Because this time, it was a truly superhuman act!"
A superhuman act.
I raised my head.
"The rulebook might say otherwise, but that decisive action to defend your honor—that's a model example for a superhuman!"
The Chairwoman was laughing heartily.
"When you're insulted, the answer is to swing your fists! Well done, Kim Geun-cheol!"
"Oh goodness!"
"And from what I've seen, you've been doing volunteer work diligently, and every time some incident comes up, you fight monsters and properly protect civilians!"
Those were all things I'd reported to the school, but I had no idea the Chairwoman was aware of all of it.
"There couldn't be a more admirable hero! You're doing exceptionally well, Kim Geun-cheol! Kwahahahaha!"
"Nope!"
Laughing out loud, the Chairwoman suddenly came up to me and slapped me on the back over and over in delight!
—Smack! Smack!
Too... painful!
Save me!
"The very model of a cadet, a model! To value honor, protect civilians, and serve society! Truly, you're so exemplary, this Chairwoman is most pleased!"
"Th-thank you...!"
"This Chairwoman is personally keeping an eye on Kim Geun-cheol! Your grades are climbing! You're a model student! You value honor! You protect civilians well!"
—Pang!
—Pang!
The Chairwoman kept repeating herself while slapping my back...!
"Exactly the kind of talent the nation wants! I have very high expectations! Kim Geun-cheol!"
"Thank you so much...!"
Everything I'd done up to now.
Fighting to defend my honor, protecting civilians when I ran into monsters on the streets—it had a huge effect on my reputation.
As a result, the Chairwoman now views me very favorably.
This is a good thing.
"What's that, though?"
"Ah."
The Chairwoman's eyes went to my hands.
"First of all, thank you, Chairwoman! I heard you gave Chairman Ahn an earful on my behalf. So, as a token of my gratitude, I prepared a small gift! Please accept this from your student!"
A red ginseng stick gift set.
With premium red ginseng candy included.
"Oh my...!"
When I held out the gift, the Chairwoman's eyes went wide.
Eyes that seemed touched.
"Now that's what I call a model student! You've got good manners and you know how to show gratitude! There's no talent like this! You're too good a superhuman!"
Nice!
She seems to really love it!
"Hehehe, since you're happy, I'm happy too."
This stuff works instantly on older people, I'm telling you.
I was basically grinning from ear to ear right now.
"Hm! I'll gratefully accept, Kim Geun-cheol! That said!"
"Yes?"
"I didn't do that specifically for you, Kim Geun-cheol. I simply did it because it was the right thing."
A distinctly serious tone.
The Chairwoman looked me in the eye as she spoke.
"This Chairwoman would be perfectly confident in beating a person half to death if they came up and cursed me out of nowhere too."
She raised a fist as she said it, and from my view, it looked like they wouldn't just be half dead—they'd be fully dead.
"And I can guarantee you, if anyone objected to that, I'd beat them too."
"Ah."
"Because that's the natural thing. Chairman Ahn? He's lost touch with superhuman society from living like a bat. Anyway. If Kim Geun-cheol had insulted someone first and gotten beaten for it, naturally this Chairwoman wouldn't have sided with you."
Because likewise, that would be the right thing.
"Is that the mindset of a superhuman? Chairwoman?"
"Indeed it is. We superhumans must always consider what is just and right. We must lend power to the righteous side and crush the wicked side. Understood!"
"Yes! Absolutely understood! That creed! I'll engrave it on my heart!"
"Good! Very good! This Chairwoman trusts Kim Geun-cheol immensely!"
"I trust you completely too, Chairwoman!"
"Hm! To be trusted by a student, what true joy for an educator!"
What an outstanding educator!
"Anyway, Ahn Do-min. A rotten bastard like that needs someone at his side to grab him and school him properly."
That's a valid point.
"That's a job for the instructors, but having a peer guide him would actually be a better influence."
"Pardon?"
"From now on, as a model student, it'd be good if Kim Geun-cheol could keep an eye on Ahn Do-min."
"Oh, of course! I absolutely will!"
"Good!"
I was planning on doing that anyway.
If the Chairwoman's declaring it publicly, then there's nothing holding me back.
"Kim Geun-cheol. Still, since this matter is settled, I'd like you to forgive Ahn Do-min a little. This Chairwoman knows he's a rotten bastard, but he's still a student and a child. If he comes to his senses from this, he can certainly pull his weight later on. Once you've been punished for your wrongdoing, next comes forgiveness and moving forward positively. Understood?"
Still, a true educator is an educator, after all.
"Of course, that's only natural! Your words really open my eyes, Chairwoman! I, Kim Geun-cheol, am a man who knows how to draw the line! Just as you say, I'll forgive him on this and try to get along well with Ahn Do-min!"
"How can this kid be so exemplary!!! This friend truly hits the spot for this Chairwoman!!! Absolutely too exemplary!!!"
—Smack! Smack!
"Gwaaaggh!"
The excited Chairwoman battered my back...!
But there's affection behind it, so it's bearable!
"Sniff... Ah, by the way, Chairwoman?"
"What is it?"
"I'd like to use this opportunity to make a personal request for some guidance. Would that be alright?"
Every bit of conversation up until now was build-up for this moment.
Like landing a decisive blow, I spoke to the Chairwoman.
"Hm? What is it? Are you thinking of asking me to teach you swordsmanship? Instructor Lee So-ra would be better at teaching that kind of thing—"
"No. That's not it."
—Srahk.
I set my stance and spoke.
"The Lion's Roar."
"Lion's Roar...?"
"Pouring mana into your voice and shouting it loudly. Using that to suppress the enemy. Isn't that Lion's Roar your ultimate technique, Chairwoman?"
"It is. A skill I make good use of. Surely you're not thinking of asking me to teach you that? But this would be difficult for a cadet like Kim Geun-cheol. It requires the right aptitude just to barely use it—"
"Actually, I'm training something similar myself."
"What?"
The Chairwoman's eyes went wide.
"Shall I show you?"
I opened one eye wide and said it like some kind of Scrooge McDuck.
"..."
The Chairwoman watched me silently, then—
—Swish!
She shook her coat once to straighten it out.
—Thwump!
And folded her arms while looking at me, speaking with an utterly serious face.
"Kim Geun-cheol. This Chairwoman has great pride in the Lion's Roar. It's such an exceptionally rare skill that almost no heroes use it. But if Kim Geun-cheol has been practicing the Lion's Roar..."
If that's the case.
"Show me! As the foremost master of the Lion's Roar, this Chairwoman will appraise it herself!"
—Fwaahh!
A shout bursting with spirit!
The Chairwoman fixed me with burning eyes, and—
"Ghk!"
I held my stance.
—KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!!!
I unleashed War Cry with all my might!