Chapter 19: The Returnee’s Class (2)
“Kyaaak!”
“Ah…….”
Only screams and groans were rampant.
The classroom building turned into a shambles.
The annex built separately for the magic circle class.
The Year 2 Class A students who were taking the class and the subject teacher were gathered on one side.
‘A-Rank. No, maybe higher than that?’
Since it was a monster not even listed in textbooks, he couldn't be certain of the Rank of the monster visible before his eyes, but.
Choi Seong-tae thought it was at least A-Rank.
Or maybe even higher.
Because even for the same A-Rank monster, the deviation between a regular mob and a boss monster was difficult to express with precise numerical values.
A-Rank Awakened.
A Mage who had lived the life of a Hunter.
Although not one of the top 3 guilds, Choi Seong-tae was someone who was active in a fairly large guild.
Because he was such a person, he could organize the current situation quickly.
Despair.
Yes.
If defining it with just one word among many, that word would match the current situation best.
Choi Seong-tae, who was standing in front of the children with his arms spread, moved his gaze.
A lecture room built in the form of a wide auditorium for highly participatory lectures.
Although called a lecture room, it was a single building where a large space like a gymnasium could be used wholly.
Exactly at its center.
The magic circle engraved on the floor.
It was the Gnome's magic circle he drew himself for the class.
He was certain.
Because he conducted the same class for other sections with that magic circle until just yesterday.
But why.
Choi Seong-tae's brow furrowed strongly.
“A Gnome should have been summoned…….”
The thing in front of his eyes was not a Gnome but at least an A-Rank boss monster.
On top of that.
Unlike regular monsters, an entity whose appearance is close to humanoid.
From just the outward appearance, one could know it is a monster with developed intelligence, unlike regular monsters that only do simple attacks.
However.
If it ended there.
It wouldn't have been this despairing.
“A bastard like you called me?”
The monster in front of his eyes could speak human language perfectly.
Red skin covering the whole body.
The blood-colored monster stared at Choi Seong-tae.
Tremble―.
Choi Seong-tae's body was shaking.
Human's instinctive reaction.
And because he experienced being a Hunter.
An emotion one can know because they have experienced actual combat.
“Strange. It wasn't you who called me?”
Fear.
Terror.
Choi Seong-tae could know how dangerous this monster is just by facing it.
However, even while being encroached by fear, Choi Seong-tae's ears, and his eyes, were capturing the children.
“It's a monster…….”
“It's not even a Dungeon Break but a monster…….”
“They said talking monsters are incredibly strong.”
Voices of children soaked in fear.
First, I must protect the children.
That is the number one priority.
It is not because of a sense of justice.
Just.
‘Because you guys are like this, the students became like this!’
Because of the shouting of the new teacher hovering in his head.
I am also a teacher.
When he put down the Hunter job active on the front lines and applied to the school, he could certainly be further away from death than before.
Social reputation and stability of income, etc.
Although he looked at other things more, he didn't choose to be a teacher just looking at money and name value.
A heart he had forgotten without knowing.
Choi Seong-tae was someone whose light in that extinguished room was turned on because of Yoo jin.
“What is this monster saying? It is correct that I drew that summoning circle. Originally a Gnome should come out. I don't know why a monster like you popped out though.”
Choi Seong-tae hiding his right hand behind his waist while acting nonchalant.
“Gnome? There's no way I'm the same as such trash. Aside from that…….”
The humanoid monster slowly lowered its head.
The back of its head, long like an Alien, faced the sky.
The monster captured the summoning circle drawn under its feet in its eyes.
“I don't like it. For a mere human to summon a monster? Looking roughly, it seems you can only summon weak entities, but still.”
The monster raised its hand.
At the same time, Choi Seong-tae's eyes shaking.
He stretched forward the hand he had hidden behind his waist.
“Durumun!”
The green light that bloomed from Choi Seong-tae's hand took the form of a spider web, then advanced towards the humanoid monster.
Choi Seong-tae's magic, spreading wide like a net catching fish, was covering the A-Rank monster.
“I don't like it.”
A black sphere appeared in front of the monster's finger.
Pew!
Then it was shot like a laser.
Choi Seong-tae's magic that was about to bind the monster turned to ash in an instant.
Kaboom!!
It exploded while distorting the space.
Smoke blooming due to the explosion.
Choi Seong-tae did not miss this moment.
“Dodge in this opening! Go out of the building, go out and tell other teachers…….”
Pew!
A sound ringing again.
At that sound.
“Teacher!!”
Screams burst out from the mouths of the children in the back.
Into the view of Choi Seong-tae who slowly dropped his head.
A small hole pierced in the chest area was seen.
“Damn it.”
Thud!
Choi Seong-tae collapsed forward.
Surprised children screamed.
“Kyaaak!”
“Aah!!”
Chaos.
Choi Seong-tae fell with his chest pierced in one attack.
He heard there is nothing as dangerous as falling forward.
Judging by the wound pierced through the body visible to the eye and the direction of falling, this is.
To the extent that there might be a disruption to life.
“Humans are truly weak. To have the body pierced by such a basic attack. Don't you think living with such an inconvenient body is shameless?”
It clearly must have appearance and expressions different from humans.
But the emotion revealed by the monster looking at the fallen Choi Seong-tae.
Everyone there was understanding it.
Appearance of overwhelming power.
And the condition of the teacher, Choi Seong-tae, is critical.
An incident that happened like a thunderbolt in a dry sky.
The children gathered behind Choi Seong-tae fell into panic.
However…….
Tap!
Tap!
Tap!
Landing sounds ringing consecutively.
Shadows began to cast over the fallen Choi Seong-tae.
This place was none other than the prestigious Taewoon High School.
A product of early education for Awakened and where only talents among talents are gathered.
“Teacher, are you okay?”
“Quickly, Heal!”
In an instant, a few students moved to the front of the fainted Choi Seong-tae.
At that one step breaking the fear.
Some of the students crouching in the back began to move.
Healing type students started using recovery magic on Choi Seong-tae.
Ziiing―.
Students with skills specialized in defense created a small barrier in front of the group.
And…….
“All sorts of things happen?”
“Exactly. Why are you out in front? A guy who knows only himself.”
The very front.
In front of the fallen Choi Seong-tae.
The twins, having decided to fight, came forward and were protecting the fallen teacher and students.
And next to them.
“I'm not protecting. I'm trying to live.”
The top prospect of Year 2.
Kang Tae-wook was standing.
“Ha, let's say that's it.”
“Still, with the three of us, wouldn't there be some breakthrough? Still, among the 2nd years, we are the most…….”
A sharp voice was heard by the ears of the twins showing confidence.
“That is why, you guys are weak.”
Kang Tae-wook recited lowly.
Identical faces.
Crumpled identically.
“What?! Why are we weak!”
“In Class A, no, among the 2nd years, where is someone with higher attack power than us!”
“Shut up. Not knowing the difference in power with the opponent is being weak.”
At Kang Tae-wook's voice, Im Jong-il and Im Jong-sin met eyes.
“Even if you guys and I, no…… our whole class fights, we can't beat that bastard.”
Quick judgment.
But a voice full of certainty.
At Kang Tae-wook's strong attitude, the twins swallowed dry saliva.
“Well, since even Teacher Choi Seong-tae who has actual combat experience was defeated.”
“S-still, wouldn't the damage amount be stronger with us…….”
At Kang Tae-wook's eyebrow soaring to the sky, Im Jong-sin's mouth shut.
The twins' gaze slowly moved to the monster in the front.
Certainly, it feels completely different from the monsters they had seen in class until now.
When facing the guys prepared in the Artificial Dungeon in the Sparring Room, although they got nervous, they didn't get this kind of feeling.
“…….”
“…….”
Human entity, the intimidation pumping out from the body.
On top of that.
“Ho……. Still, there was one useful guy mixed in?”
Because they had actually never seen a monster that could speak human language.
“It is certainly different from Artificial Dungeon monsters.”
“No matter who looks at it, it looks like a boss.”
Only now did it start to feel real.
That Kang Tae-wook's words are true.
And as they became calm, they started to see little by little.
A body where an opening cannot be found.
Strength felt from the relaxed attitude.
They don't know up to the Rank, but A-Rank?
No, maybe it was a monster likely to be in an S-Rank dungeon.
Kang Tae-wook opened his mouth without taking his eyes off the monster.
“As I said earlier, I didn't come out to win. I came out to live. To live…… we have to buy time until a teacher or whoever else comes.”
Although he didn't say the subject, for some reason one person's face was coming to Kang Tae-wook's mind.
The twins, who clearly grasped Kang Tae-wook's intention, slowly lowered their stance.
“Okay. You mean we just have to buy time?”
“Because explosion sounds were heard. Even if they don't know a monster like this came out, they probably know something happened here.”
Fortunately amidst misfortune.
This place was not the Sparring Room.
Although there is CCTV in the Sparring Room, with this level of explosion sound, one cannot know from the outside that something happened.
Although there is some distance from where the class classrooms and teachers' office are, fortunately, if it was the explosion sound from a little while ago, it certainly would have been heard from outside too.
So we just have to endure.
Kang Tae-wook.
And the twins.
Even if they lack actual combat experience, they are prospects with the highest Grade and strong Unique Skills even among the 2nd years.
If judging only by the depth of talent, they were people whose future was brighter than even the teachers.
At the appearance of the children blocking his front, the monster tore its oddly shaped mouth wide.
As if smiling.
“I don't dislike things like this. Appearance of humans struggling.”
Kang Tae-wook ignored the monster's words and turned his head only half way to move his gaze to the back.
“Rather than leaning on the weak guys in the back, the probability of living is higher if guys with power attack at once from the start.”
A remark ignoring the entire class.
But it was a story he could tell because he is Kang Tae-wook.
Because he was Kang Tae-wook and no one else.
Because they don't know if they can beat Kang Tae-wook even if they combine all the power of the children here.
“Good choice. Even looking at it myself, that is the best choice. But there is one exception.”
At that voice, the gazes of Kang Tae-wook and the twins headed toward the monster.
“Why…… do you think you are strong?”
As soon as the monster's words ended, the vision of Kang Tae-wook and the twins was dyed with darkness.