Chapter 34
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Lesson 8. This Technique is Mine - 4
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You have succeeded in partially understanding and reading the concept possessed by a higher being. The depth of All-Reading Eyes has reached 137.
Ban Yu-won took a deep breath without making it obvious.
He couldn't stupidly reveal that he'd caught even a glimpse of that monster's essence.
He was already under enough scrutiny, which was exactly why he had to hide everything he possibly could.
"The syllabus lists all sorts of things, but the goal of this lecture is actually quite simple: understanding the tower's origins and the constellations. Today, let's start with the tower itself."
Didn't he explain this in the first session?
Ban Yu-won tilted his head at Xenon's explanation, which seemed to assume the students were hearing it for the first time.
And the answer was a class cancellation.
He had canceled the first lecture due to his business trip.
"By understanding the tower's origins, we gain greater recognition from the tower itself and increase our chances of accessing the treasures and miracles hidden in its every corner. Babylon—the name of this ancient civilization, barely unearthed from the tower's fringes, will be our focus for the entire semester."
Yes, that ancient civilization is from Earth, the lower dimension you all look down on, thousands of years ago.
Ban Yu-won desperately wanted to snap back like that, but honestly, the lecture itself was fascinating.
He'd suspected as much since the tower was called 'Babel Tower,' but it seemed they really knew about Babylon.
No, if that was the case, shouldn't they naturally know about Earth, the dimension that birthed it? It was truly baffling.
"The tower is akin to a living being. It's only natural that it reveals more secrets to those who understand it. The evidence of the tower being alive becomes strikingly clear when it suffers major internal or external shocks—"
Is the professor talking about the irregular phenomena we encountered in the tower?
As Ban Yu-won began to immerse himself in the explanation with that thought—
Lucelle poked his side and whispered.
"Lecture hall, center."
The center?
Turning his gaze at her words, Ban Yu-won spotted a large orb placed squarely in the middle of the lecture hall.
What was shocking was that no language concept within it could be read by his power.
It clearly held overwhelming magical power, enough to put Lucelle on guard, but beyond that, he couldn't discern anything.
A suspicious figure and a suspicious object. If they start some religious ritual now, it'd be perfect.
But as Ban Yu-won tried to examine the orb more closely, Xenon smirked as if he'd noticed his gaze.
"Quick on the uptake. Lucelle, Ban Yu-won—excellent. Now I understand why first-years like you earned the right to be here."
"Uh... thank you."
We're doomed.
It had only been a few minutes since he'd vowed to hide everything he could, and here he was messing up!
Xenon's abyss-like black eyes stared straight at Ban Yu-won.
"You'll learn about this 'orb' as the lecture progresses. For now, know that it's central to the Mock Constellation Battle, a key element of this course."
Was it his imagination, or did the temperature around them rise several degrees the moment those words left his mouth?
Ban Yu-won realized it stemmed from the fifth-years, the highest grade at Union Academy.
So, they took this lecture last year? Or heard about it from friends who did...
Almost every student's gaze was fixed on the orb.
Xenon cleared his throat to draw their attention back.
"Keep in mind that if you can't keep up, you might get kicked out before the Mock Constellation Battle even begins. Now, shall we continue?"
The lecture ran for a full hour and fifteen minutes.
The rest was interesting enough, but the other attendees were solely focused on the orb.
Ban Yu-won, meanwhile, couldn't shake the constant mention of 'understanding the tower.'
I thought the bizarre changes we encountered in the tower were all due to irregular intrusions. But what if they weren't? What if they happened because I, who knows everything from Babylon's history to the Biblical Babel Tower, entered the tower?
If that were true, then not only this time, but every time Ban Yu-won entered the tower, he'd face difficulties, environments incomparable to others.
And that was—
Absolutely perfect.
It means I can get closer to the tower's true form than anyone else.
A secret he couldn't yet share with anyone, not even his companions entering the tower with him.
But they wouldn't resent him for it.
They'd get the chance to blaze the shortest path through the tower alongside him!
As expected of my ancestor. He prepared everything for me in the tower.
A confident smile crept across Ban Yu-won's lips.
His confidence, worn down by recent events, was now perfectly restored.
The change was obvious enough for those watching nearby to notice immediately.
"Ban Yu-won, spill it. What wicked scheme are you plotting?"
"...Dokgo Yeon, aren't you a bit harsh on me?"
"Ban doesn't do bad things. ...At least not to us."
For some reason, his image among his companions was skewing oddly.
Did he go too hard on Associate Professor Entel this morning?
As he looked to Light for help, the other man shrugged.
"I trust you, Class President. As long as it's not illegal, we'll follow your lead. ...You're not planning to butt heads with the upperclassmen, right?"
Perfect.
Perfectly screwed.
Ban Yu-won didn't know it, but Xenon's lecture was the most coveted class in the academy, desired by every student.
With Xenon personally selecting all enrollees, competition to join was pointless.
Students could only envy or fear those who made it in.
In other words, those attending Xenon's lectures at the academy received treatment beyond even Special Class.
Class 11, from the Lower Dimension Special Admission, was no exception.
"Hey, the lower dimension kids are passing by."
"Saw yesterday's mukbang? The pink-haired one was cute."
"Still, they're stronger than us. Heard they're in Professor Xenon's lecture?"
"No way!"
"First-years? In Professor Xenon's class? No..."
"Record-breaking."
The biggest gain from entering Xenon's lecture (truly worthy of the term) was solidifying Rebellion as a group with genuine skill, not just flashy appearances.
Their videos had shown Ban Yu-won's bizarre swordsmanship, Light's flashy light sword, and Dokgo Yeon's overwhelming destructive power, but viewers—especially academy affiliates—had dismissed them as exaggerated edits from lower dimension nobodies.
But with all four in Xenon's class, those doubts vanished.
Questioning their skill was questioning Xenon himself!
"Maybe we don't even need the video channel anymore?"
Ban Yu-won wondered seriously as things reached this point.
But Dokgo Yeon scoffed and shook her head.
"The channel's the only thing building goodwill for our class. Without it, those piercing glares might turn into actual stabs."
"...Fair point."
"Ugh, these comments. More trash-talking us as lowly."
Attending Xenon's lecture wasn't all positive.
Upper dimension students with strong hierarchies, especially Special Class members, saw Class 11 in it and sneered that 'lowly trash were overstepping.'
This hatred intensified after Ban Yu-won wrecked Irecto's arm, leading to his voluntary withdrawal via academy council.
Most Special Class students, from first to fifth year, were badmouthing Class 11.
"It's fine, beast. They'll spew their filth, delete it themselves, and move on."
"Argh, seriously... Refreshed, and now fifty more hate comments."
"It's like a fanatic cult."
"Idol stans are the scariest."
"Idol...?"
Rebellion's fans, won over by the videos, crushed the Special Class backlash with sneers.
They might not dare face-to-face, but on the intranet, all were equal.
The harder Special Class pushed, the fiercer the counter-blows, creating a 'Special Class vs. Everyone Else' divide on the school intranet lately.
"You're changing the academy's dynamics. Fun to watch."
"Yeah, but most upperclassmen in Xenon's class are Special Class..."
Hostile territory.
Complete enemy ground.
At least the first lecture hadn't seen open hostility since Irecto's expulsion wasn't public yet, but next Tuesday? Already terrifying.
"So we need to build strength until then. This won't help with that, though..."
"Don't talk nonsense. Training isn't just blindly clashing swords. You gain the composure to handle any situation by accumulating diverse experiences and knowledge from all sorts of places."
"You talk a good game."
Ban Yu-won snorted at Dokgo Yeon's teasing jab.
He finished filling out the form and passed it around.
"Alright, everyone check and sign."
"We're swamped with the tower—do we have to join a club? Can't we pick something casual?"
"Light, snap out of it. With all eyes on us, you want a club mingling with others? That's the worst of the worst."
Indeed.
They were huddled amiably in an empty lecture hall, filling out a club application.
Union Academy required every student to join at least one club.
The intent was to give god-aspirants a bit of downtime, but intentions rarely pan out.
Clubs were microcosms of the academy's power struggles, where your choice dictated your status.
"Casual clubs? That's the problem—most are for the elite's refined hobbies. Why chess in a tower-climbing academy?"
"Just admit it. You don't want to tussle with club presidents."
"Yeah, that's it. Dokgo Yeon, you're spot on."
"Piano club... sounded nice."
The academy, aiming to forge future gods, had extraordinary clubs—run by Special Class elitists soaked in entitlement.
Ban Yu-won had no desire for friction, and with Yumina as a perfect cover, he planned to create a new club under her as advisor.
"Everyone done with the club application?"
As Light, Lucelle, and Dokgo Yeon signed in turn, Yumina appeared.
"Professor Yumina looks thrilled."
"Of course!"
Yumina hummed cheerily, perching on the lectern.
Her abundant petal-like hair swayed beautifully in the breeze.
"As your advisor, I haven't taught you yet. I'm delighted to be with you through a club."
"But Professor, your schedule? Overseeing weekly activities might be tough..."
"Full Professors have surprising free time."
Makes sense, Ban Yu-won nodded.
Always the associate profs, lecturers, and TAs who were swamped.
"Plus, the activities sound great. Group outing permissions? Already got from the principal. It'll be smooth. I guarantee it'll be the envy of every student and professor."
"Really, this...?"
Light muttered dubiously, eyeing the form.
Club name: 'Union Excursions.'
Activities: 'Public service, dungeon exploration, gourmet tours, etc.'
"Ban, this is just to film Rebellion content, right?"
"Hate sharp kids like you."
Clueless when it mattered, perceptive now.
Lucelle and Dokgo Yeon, knowing it'd be a joyride, stayed quiet!
"Hehe, now I'll be in videos too!"
"Professor, is that your goal...?"
The application was approved immediately upon submission.
First activity: Elone fritter mukbang, featuring a beautiful young (youthful-looking) professor. It hit 3 million views on external channels, heralding the club's success.
And a small bonus:
You have exposed your existence to a vast number of beings and imprinted your presence. You comprehend new language concepts: Charm and Honor.
The depth of Charm and Honor has reached 10!
Who knew it'd turn out like this.