Chapter 5: The Stormy Transfer Student, Baek Tae-yang (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 5: The Stormy Transfer Student, Baek Tae-yang (1)
"……Next is the matter regarding the transfer student. Please look at the screen."
At the woman's words, everyone seated in the auditorium turned their gaze toward the screen.
The student displayed on the screen had white hair and slightly tanned skin.
What was striking was his overall aura.
Should this student really be allowed into Victory Academy? That was the first thought he provoked.
He radiated an overwhelming vibe of 'I am a delinquent.'
"Name: Baek Tae-yang. Age: 20. Ability… has not been confirmed, but it is speculated to be a debuff-type."
"What? I must have misheard you, Instructor Ryu. 'Speculated'?"
The man who spoke was balding. His name tag read [Gate Lead Instructor], and below that, the name [Kim Seok-gu].
"The reason is… Cadet Baek Tae-yang is an Awakener whose Main Skill is an Always-Active type."
At those words, a murmur began to ripple through the auditorium.
An Always-Active Ability was not a topic to be discussed lightly.
"The reason Always-Active types are dangerous is that they are difficult to control and there are no warning signs before the ability activates. If he truly set his mind to it…"
As if sensing what Instructor Ryu Hye-mi was about to say, silence fell over the auditorium.
"Comparing a cadet who knows nothing yet to the Fat Boy Massacre seems a bit excessive."
The speaker was Cheon Hae-il, the Chairman of Victory Academy.
As soon as he spoke, those who had been making the comparison stopped their train of thought.
He possessed that kind of power.
Savior of the Era, Immortal, Closer, The One Who Appears at the End, Heavenly Great General—he had countless aliases, but people usually called him one thing.
The Superhuman.
Everyone called Cheon Hae-il the Superhuman.
It wasn't because he maintained the appearance of a man in his mid-twenties despite being 132 years old.
Nor was it because he founded Victory Academy alone without outside investment, or because he stood above national power.
It was because of his ability; he possessed the literal power of a superhuman, capable of parting the seas or crushing mountains.
In the chaotic early days of the Gates, when even the military was powerless, he appeared alone and settled everything. Thus, everyone called him the Superhuman.
"I believe we already have about five Always-Active ability users in our academy?"
"But this time, it is very different from those children."
While the other instructors thought Cheon Hae-il had a point, Ryu Hye-mi alone shook her head.
"Please look at the screen again," Ryu Hye-mi said, manipulating the remote to draw their scattered attention back to a single point.
"Cheongyeon High School gang fight, street brawls, excessive response to random acts of violence… a total of 62 counts of violence, and an engagement with a Hunter…? What is this?"
"These are the actions he took before his transfer to Victory Academy was decided."
As the screen changed, his record of assaults appeared. Though they were all recognized as self-defense, every single one was severe.
"First, I apologize for using somewhat exaggerated language because Cadet Baek Tae-yang seemed so difficult to handle."
"However, as you can see from that chart, he possesses clear violent tendencies."
"The only saving grace is that he never initiated the violence in any of these incidents. The problem was always his excessive response."
With every word she spoke, Cheon Hae-il’s expression grew more conflicted.
He had tried to remain neutral and protect the cadet, but the twist was too powerful: Wait, this kid is a total thug?
Even if it was a response to someone else picking a fight, looking at the results, anyone would see Baek Tae-yang as the perpetrator.
"This part, in particular, is the most noteworthy. The trigger for his awakening. Usually, when an ordinary person undergoes a late-bloomer awakening, a dramatic catalyst is required."
"For example, feeling a threat to their life, or a desperate desire to save a loved one on the brink of death."
"But Cadet Baek Tae-yang is a case where he awakened simply, and truly, for the purpose of beating up a Hunter."
The gravity of the situation was conveyed perfectly.
In truth, they had initially wondered why a transfer student was on the agenda for an emergency meeting.
Transfers weren't unheard of.
It was natural for anyone with the qualifications to want to enter Victory, and occasionally, they even scouted talented individuals.
They had briefly reflected on their foolishness for questioning why Ryu Hye-mi was bringing up such a common matter.
"...Calling it a transfer is just a formality; isn't he essentially being served a summons? He's a very dangerous talent."
Ryu Hye-mi could not refute Kim Seok-gu’s words.
In reality, it was true that he had moved his residence from a holding cell to the academy dormitory.
If left alone, a second coming of the Fat Boy Massacre might occur.
Cheon Hae-il, who had been defending Baek Tae-yang just moments ago, now had a darkened expression.
Based on the briefing, Baek Tae-yang wasn't a criminal. He wasn't even a potential criminal.
He had never started an incident, but no one could deny the fact that he was a potential ultra-high-risk element.
"Please look at the next screen."
Ryu Hye-mi operated the remote, and the screen changed.
The video played from the moment Baek Tae-yang was confronting an Awakener.
In the video, Baek Tae-yang was fighting the Awakener without showing a single sign of being pushed back.
Even if the Awakener in the video was a Rank 5, the weakest rank, it was still nonsensical.
The gap between an Awakener and a non-Awakener was something that could not be bridged, no matter what one did.
After a fierce exchange of blows over a short period, the Awakener found an opening and struck Baek Tae-yang in the abdomen.
Normally, his stomach should have been pierced and his intestines spilled out. However, the Awakener seemed to have regained his senses at the last second and adjusted his strength, so that didn't happen.
Baek Tae-yang staggered and vomited up all the snacks he had eaten. Alcohol and undigested food spilled out.
With a look of disbelief, he charged again. The moment the opponent tried to catch the incoming fist to calm him down—
"He awakened."
A black light enveloped Baek Tae-yang’s body.
The Awakener, realizing it was an awakening, hurriedly surged his power, but the fist had already slammed into his solar plexus.
The Awakener was sent flying through the building and crashed into a parked truck. The video ended there.
"To awaken just to beat someone up… and look at that destructive power!"
"According to the data, that Hunter is an augmentation type. To be defeated like that even after reinforcing his body……"
"Then it must be a debuff type. Even if the ability was used late, the degree of damage is too great."
"It's only natural to accept a late-bloomer Awakener, but how to manage him is the question..."
Innate Awakeners receive character education while their skill usage is restricted.
If someone awakened late before the age of 19, it didn't matter because they were already within an educational institution, but the problem was late awakenings after that.
Since they never knew when or where someone might awaken, they always had to keep their eyes peeled.
This was one of the top priorities for every academy in the world, not just Victory Academy.
"He's on a completely different level from any cadet we've had before..."
"The concern is which class to put him in."
The instructors, while exchanging opinions, kept glancing at one person.
The one person who had been staring at the screen with a grim expression and crossed arms since the moment Baek Tae-yang was brought up.
The man, who had remained silent without saying a single word, nodded as if sensing the gazes around him.
"I will take him into my class."
Below the black name tag that read [Training Instructor] was the name [Jang Du-cheol].
The name alone inspired confidence.
Though overshadowed by the Superhuman Cheon Hae-il, he was considered one of the strongest in Victory Academy. If it was him, he would surely be able to keep Baek Tae-yang under perfect control.
"But when is Cadet Baek Tae-yang arriving?"
"Tomorrow."
"Pardon?"
And you're only bringing this up now? Receiving such looks, Ryu Hye-mi quickly explained.
"The date on the video is from the day before yesterday. And we only received the report on the incident today..."
"...Cadet Baek Tae-yang suddenly lost consciousness in the holding cell due to the aftereffects of his awakening, so……"
Ryu Hye-mi explained desperately.
She mentioned how they tried to change his tattered clothes but had no time to prepare, so they laid him in bed naked.
She even mentioned that the data processing had just finished, and she had barely managed to organize the materials in time.
She wanted them to know how much work she had processed in such a short time.
In truth, everyone understood her, but they just watched because her flustered appearance was amusing.
+++
'I made a mistake.'
Recalling what happened just yesterday, Jang Du-cheol ran.
Despite seeing that level of physical ability, he had underestimated Baek Tae-yang too much.
'I thought he’d be bedridden after an incident like that...'
To think he would just bolt upright and show up for school. It was outside his calculations.
For a late-bloomer Awakener, his body's adaptation was far too fast.
From an instructor's perspective, it was impressive, but given Baek Tae-yang’s track record, it didn't seem like a good thing.
'The Disciplinary Room on his very first day… the Disciplinary Committee member is in danger.'
There was no telling what might happen.
Treating a cadet he hadn't even met yet like a ticking bomb was an attitude an instructor should avoid, but what could he do?
Given what he had seen and heard, it was only natural.
Using his abilities to move faster, he arrived in front of the Disciplinary Room.
Without taking a moment to catch his breath, he grabbed the handle and pounded on the door.
"Baek Tae-yang, are you in there? If you are, open the door."
He put strength into his fist, ready to break the door down if necessary.
He counted down in his head.
Ten... nine... seven...
If there was no response by the time he reached one, he would smash the door.
As he pounded on the door again and the count reached two, the door opened.
"Yes, Instructor? Is something the matter?"
Jang Du-cheol was momentarily taken aback.
The one who opened the door wasn't Baek Tae-yang, but Yoo Su-jin.
Had nothing really happened?
Behind Yoo Su-jin stood Baek Tae-yang, looking exactly like a 'junior who had just been scolded by a senior.'
He had naturally assumed it would be Baek Tae-yang opening the door after overpowering Yoo Su-jin…
"Instructor?"
"Ah, right. Sorry. I came because Cadet Baek Tae-yang is in my class. Is this going to take long?"
"No, it was just a misunderstanding on my part. There's no problem at all."
Su-jin’s strangely flushed face bothered him, but he assumed it was because she had been scolding him.
As soon as Su-jin and Tae-yang stepped out of the Disciplinary Room, they closed the door behind them.
It was an action that said they absolutely could not show the inside, but Jang Du-cheol didn't notice.
"Cadet Baek Tae-yang, I am Jang Du-cheol, your homeroom instructor."
"I look forward to working with you," Tae-yang said with a gentle smile as he shook hands.
Du-cheol felt confused by the sight, which was so different from the video.
He had expected someone rebellious, but the boy's docile appearance made him wonder which version was the real one.
+++
'That was a close one.'
The thought of getting caught for what had just happened made a chill run down my spine.
The frantic effort I put in to fix the situation was desperate, even thinking back on it now.