Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Academy Without Choi Juwon [Regret] (3)
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-Tap, tap, tap
The students trudged toward Yang Hangil's class with dark, hollow eyes, like cattle being led to the slaughterhouse.
-Creak
As the door to the Magic Duel Arena inside Helmont Academy swung open, Yang Hangil came into view, standing there imposingly.
The moment he spotted the students, he bellowed.
"Hurry up and get in here! Run! From now on, I won't cater to your convenience. Shut your mouths and do exactly as I say."
-Rustle, rustle
The students rushed forward without hesitation and lined up in front of Yang Hangil. He eyed each one with clear irritation.
"Hoo... How is it that not a single one of you has grown since yesterday? Just looking at the mana flowing through you, you're all trash. I can't for the life of me understand how any of you got into Helmont Academy."
"Haa..."
Yang Hangil let out a heavy sigh.
Then he pointed at one female student.
"Yoon Seulgi. Step forward."
"Pardon...?"
"Don't make me repeat myself, idiot. Get up here now."
-Step, step
As she stepped forward per his command, he immediately cast a spell.
[Gravity]
Crushing gravitational force applied
-Boom
"Kyaaak!"
She screamed as she collapsed to the ground.
-Groooaaaan
Immense pressure continued to crush her entire body.
Yang Hangil looked down at her crumpled form and spoke.
"What do you do if an enemy mage uses Gravity?"
"Urgh..."
She couldn't respond amid the agony, but Yang Hangil spoke to her coldly.
"I told you not to act like a worm. If the enemy casts gravity magic, you circulate mana throughout your body to protect yourself. Got it?"
-Whoooosh
"Haa... haa..."
Once the Gravity spell lifted, Yoon Seulgi gasped for breath. Right then, Yang Hangil followed up with another incantation.
[Fireball]
Infernal projectile launched
[Magic Shield]
Mana barrier deployed
-Sizzle
Yang Hangil's Fireball slammed into Yoon Seulgi. This time, she managed to block it with her own Magic Shield. Or so she thought.
-Crack
"Huh...?"
With Yoon Seulgi's startled yelp, the Magic Shield shattered, and the spell struck her full force.
"Urgh..."
Yoon Seulgi sprawled on the ground. Yang Hangil merely stared.
"So you can at least cast a Magic Shield like a proper mage. But it's so crude it's disgusting. Get lost. I need to check the rest of you trash."
He proceeded to unleash basic spells on several other students: Lightning, Fireball, Wind Cutter. Simple magic, but coming from an A-rank mage like Yang Hangil, the power was immense. Some students ended up seriously hurt.
"B-Blood..."
One student clutched their arm in pain, but Yang Hangil ignored them.
"Blood? And what do you want me to do about it? You gonna whine and freeze up in real combat too? If you're hurt, use recovery magic or figure it out yourself. Standing around waiting for help is why you're not growing. Pathetic trash."
"Th-This isn't a class... it's violence... isn't it?"
Lee Haru protested in a trembling voice. Yang Hangil smirked and approached her. Stopping right in front of her, he fixed her with dead-fish eyes.
"Lee Haru. Every instructor has their own methods. I'm using my own mana to teach you worthless idiots who won't learn from words alone. And you call it violence? You fucking bitch."
-Slap
He backhanded her across the cheek.
-Thud
"You worthless shits. If you grew faster, I wouldn't have to go this far. But you're regressing instead. What am I supposed to do?"
Yang Hangil spoke to the fallen Lee Haru.
"Get up."
She barely pushed herself up using her knees.
-Slap
"Get up."
-Slap
After three slaps, her face was bright red.
"Lee Haru. If you think this is violence and not a class, what're you gonna do? Go cry to your fancy parents. But remember one thing before you do. I'm an instructor at Helmont Academy and a member of Baal Guild. Cross me, and your life will twist in ways you can't imagine."
Under his threat, Lee Haru shuddered and apologized.
"I-I'm sorry."
-Kick
Yang Hangil booted her.
"Haa... Anyone who pisses me off again is dead."
The so-called class devolved into magical abuse. When Yang Hangil's mana depleted, the students endured hours of bombardment until it recovered.
"Hoo... fuck..."
After hours, Yang Hangil muttered to himself as the class ended.
"No good... Even this isn't working... At this rate, it's impossible... Or else..."
He looked possessed, like a man haunted by ghosts. Fearing backlash, no student dared look at him directly; they just clutched their wounds from his magic.
"Arrrgh!"
Yang Hangil bellowed in frustration and addressed the students.
"Class dismissed. Self-study for the rest of the time."
Even as he left the arena, he muttered.
"This won't do... Need another way... Another..."
-Creak
-Click
Once Yang Hangil was gone, the students collapsed en masse.
"Waaah!"
"Urgh..."
"Fuck..."
Some sobbed uncontrollably, others writhed in pain from wounds, and some cursed their fate.
Among them, Kim Siyeon spoke up.
"My whole body hurts so much. How is that a class? It's just violence."
The other students nodded in agreement. Lee Haru approached her.
"Everyone here thinks the same... But what can we do? We have no options."
-Grind
Kim Siyeon gritted her teeth hard enough to crack them.
"Instructor Choi Juwon never did anything like that to us."
Yoon Seulgi replied as if confessing.
"We drove him away... This is our karma..."
"What do we do now... The future looks so bleak."
"I don't know... We just have to endure for now..."
After the students dispersed, Baek Hyunseo quietly called out to Yoon Seulgi.
"Um... Seulgi, there's something I want to ask..."
Yoon Seulgi looked at her with worry.
"Are you okay, Hyunseo? You got hurt pretty bad earlier too."
Baek Hyunseo gave a wry smile.
"I'm fine. You know I have a recovery artifact. It heals right up with some mana."
"That's amazing. What kind of artifact heals you that fast just by infusing mana?"
"I don't really know. Just the usage, nothing else."
Yoon Seulgi looked at her sadly.
"That artifact Instructor Choi Juwon gave you must be expensive too, right? I got one from him, showed it to my mom, and she was shocked at the price and where I got it. Why did he show us so much favor? Looking back, we didn't do much for him..."
Yoon Seulgi wiped her tears with her sleeve and apologized to Baek Hyunseo.
"Sorry. I got emotional and said something unnecessary. Anyway, didn't you have something to ask me earlier?"
"Yeah... um..."
Baek Hyunseo hesitated for a long while before continuing.
"Do you have Instructor Choi Juwon's phone number by chance?"
"I do... but why?"
"I got a new phone recently. Thought I'd try calling him..."
"Will he even pick up...? Actually, maybe he will. You just got your phone, so he wouldn't have your number. Here, I'll give it to you. Try calling."
Yoon Seulgi handed over Choi Juwon's number to Baek Hyunseo.
Baek Hyunseo just stared blankly at her phone.
'Should I call? What if he doesn't answer? If he does, and I apologize and beg forgiveness, will he forgive me...?'
Thousands, no, tens of thousands of thoughts raced through her mind.
After several minutes, she finally mustered the courage to hit call.
-Tap
-Riiing
-Riiing
The ringtone dragged on.
-Hello?
A familiar voice came through the receiver.
-Hello? Who is this?
Suddenly, hearing that voice left Baek Hyunseo speechless. Guilt over the man whose life she'd ruined kept her silent.
But at the same time, it was so welcome. Hearing the voice she'd longed for, even through the phone, brought inexplicable satisfaction and comfort. She wanted to keep the call going, even a little longer. Even if he hated her, ignored her—she just wanted to hear him more.
With friends who might leave anytime, her imprisoned father—her only family—and Yang Hangil tormenting her all day, her life had become a tragedy. Choi Juwon's voice, and the kindness he'd shown, felt achingly precious now.
-No answer? I'm hanging up.
Just before the call ended, Baek Hyunseo blurted out reflexively.
-I-Instructor... I have something to say...
In that instant, Choi Juwon's flat tone turned to dripping disgust.
-You... Baek Hyunseo?