Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Back to School (3)
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Behind the annex building.
Park Taesoo, who'd dragged me to this secluded spot, got straight to the point.
"Woojin, what the hell are you thinking?"
His question skipped so much context that I tilted my head in confusion.
"About what?"
"Cynthia!"
"What about Sia?"
"She actually transferred to the Hunter Class!"
Park Taesoo's words caught me off guard.
I'd figured he just wanted to check if I was keeping my promises.
Like keeping quiet about his gang getting beaten up, and not reporting how they'd extorted money from me.
"You should've stopped her somehow! How could you let her end up with Choi Si-hyeok?!"
But beyond that, he was genuinely worried about me and Cynthia.
"Huh..."
I let out an involuntary chuckle and reacted like some wise old sage.
I never imagined words like that coming from a thug who'd tormented me all this time.
"What 'huh'? Woojin, do you even have a brain?!"
What the hell happened over break?
This former punk had stepped right into the cliché of the antagonist turning good guy.
"Wait, Taesoo... are you actually worried about me and Sia right now?"
"W-What?! No, who said I was worried about you?!"
Park Taesoo stammered, showing a tsundere side that didn't match his tough-guy look.
This guy was actually decent deep down... or so I thought.
Thwack!
His overstepping words triggered my instincts, and I lightly smacked the back of his head.
"Ah, fuck! What the hell was that for?!"
"My bad."
"You bastard!"
"That's what you get for acting all coy like some girl."
His behavior was straight-up creepy.
I just couldn't hold back my hand.
"I was trying to look out for you!"
"Don't play hurt over a love tap, man. And weren't you just denying you cared?"
"That's...!"
"Whatever. I'll handle Sia. Mind your own business. Don't pretend to be nice or friendly now."
I waved him off, and his face twisted in a satisfying scowl.
"...Hah."
He sighed deeply, rubbing the spot on his head I'd hit.
"I'm not trying to act like your buddy or play the good guy."
"Sure."
"It's just that Choi Si-hyeok is even more of a scumbag than I thought."
He feigned nonchalance, his face turning reflective as he continued.
"Remember when I hung out with his crew because you asked?"
"Yeah."
"And I dug into whatever you wanted?"
"And?"
"That guy's way dirtier than we imagined. Heard from one of his friends recently—he's gotten multiple girls pregnant and forced abortions. Word is he even does drugs sometimes. You know that diet pill stuff?"
I knew better than anyone how trashy Choi Si-hyeok was.
But I played dumb, feigning interest.
"That bad?"
"Rich family, talented... guy's a total loose cannon."
"Hmm."
"Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. Look after Cynthia. She's a good girl, honestly."
Too good to have her life ruined by scum like Choi Si-hyeok.
Park Taesoo laid his honest feelings bare.
"That's surprising. I thought you hated Sia."
"We fought all the time... guess some affection grew out of it."
"Maybe."
I nodded at his words.
"Thanks for the advice anyway."
Truth be told, I had no intention of ruining Sia's life, worried or not.
Sure, tormenting and training her came with plenty of personal grudges.
She'd made my old player life hell, so resentment lingered.
But revenge had limits.
Chopping off limbs and turning her into a mindless sex doll.
Driving her mad with pleasure and breeding her with beasts.
Or selling her off as a whore to profit off her body.
Gory, inhumane training like that wasn't my style from the start.
'Of course, naked walks and various other plays are fantastic.'
Teasing her moderately, rewriting the betrayal DNA from the original story, introducing escalating pleasure while tormenting her bit by bit—that was better.
Ultimately, in secret, known only to me.
"To get a little serious... I actually like Sia quite a bit. If I hadn't, I wouldn't resent her so much."
I turned toward the academy's main gate where Sia would be, murmuring softly.
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"...It's complicated."
To me, Sia was pure love-hate.
Starting with the love part.
Smooth.
Sorting through my feelings, I looked back at Park Taesoo.
"Oh, right."
He spoke up as if remembering something.
"Not just Cynthia—you need to watch out too, Woojin."
"...?"
"Forgot to mention: Choi Si-hyeok's crew seems to be gunning for you."
Right then.
Thud. Thud.
Speak of the devil—multiple footsteps converged behind the annex.
"You mean them?"
"Uh...?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Smack!
A dull thud echoed.
"F-Fuck!"
Curses flew like battle cries as over a dozen students tangled in a brawl.
Lim Jeong-hyun watched from a step back.
One of Choi Si-hyeok's closest friends, he couldn't believe the scene unfolding.
'W-What the...'
At first, he'd thought it was overkill.
Fifteen guys to "educate" one academy loser?
He got that Choi Si-hyeok was in a bad mood lately and wanted to vent, but this seemed excessive even for that.
"Ah, ha... ha..."
But seeing it play out, that worry was unfounded.
Thud! Thwack!
Kang Woojin wasn't the loser they knew.
With an impassive face, he swung his limbs, weaving through Choi Si-hyeok's friends like a movie scene.
Bam!
Put simply, it felt scripted.
His movements were that fluid and natural.
No wasted motion.
"Hoo."
He casually downed another student and caught his breath.
"Next."
The guys, intimidated by one man, hesitated and glanced at each other.
It was many against one.
Lim Jeong-hyun's side had the numbers, even some with better physiques than Kang Woojin.
Yet they couldn't touch him.
"F-Fuck this!"
A burly, tattooed musclehead charged with arms wide.
"Is 'fuck' the only word you idiots know?"
Kang Woojin effortlessly flipped him and slammed him down, smirking.
Crash! Boom!
Dust billowed around the guy as he hit the wall.
"Next."
Ignoring the musclehead, Kang Woojin beckoned with a flick.
About six left.
Over half already writhed in pain around the annex's rear, the rest staring at him in terror.
"No way..."
Park Taesoo felt the same.
In an awkward spot, he had no place to jump in, but he witnessed Kang Woojin's skill firsthand.
'M-Monster.'
At first, he'd considered helping.
Not because he liked the guy, but he'd talked big.
Bragging advice then bailing solo? No face.
'He said he works out steadily...'
But Kang Woojin didn't need help.
'Did he learn martial arts over break or something...?'
A familiar situation.
'No wonder he's chill sending Cynthia to Hunter Class... fights like a pro...'
Dazed, Park Taesoo swallowed hard, hit with déjà vu.
Thwack!
Kang Woojin took out three more, inspiring awe.
He was on another level.
"Oh, and this is self-defense. Got it?"
Grinning nonchalantly, he reset his stance.
No need for full Awakening powers.
His mana-activated body and senses far outclassed normals.
Experience-wise, he'd faced hordes in dual gates.
Compared to that, a dozen tough normals were a joke.
"Grab him from behind, you idiots!"
Lim Jeong-hyun yelled at his friends.
"This isn't a damn match!"
The guys rose like zombies, swarming Kang Woojin again.
But...
Thud! Thud!
The outcome didn't change.
"Argh?!"
No matter how many rabbits banded together, they couldn't beat a wolf.
"Aaaah!"
The gap was child versus adult.
Thud.
Finally, all hit the dirt.
"Y-You... you're Awakened, right...?"
Lim Jeong-hyun, lips busted and teeth bloodied, growled.
Kang Woojin neither confirmed nor denied.
Smirk.
He just smiled silently.
No evidence anyway.
Brushing his hands, he turned to Park Taesoo.
"Hey, you clean this up."
"Huh? What?"
Park Taesoo blinked, surveying the sprawled bodies.
"You're already in the boat. Time to row."
"W-What do you mean?"
Kang Woojin slung an arm around him playfully.
"They saw us together. Think you can slip out now?"
"I-I..."
"If not me, they'll target you. You get their mindset, same breed."
"F-Fuck..."
Park Taesoo hauled himself up, grimacing.
No choice, he gripped his phone, pondering.
Police or hospital...?
Even so, he couldn't handle cleanup alone—short on hands and skill.
Kang Woojin stared, then dialed first.
"Hey, Harin-ah. It's me. Where are you now?"