Chapter 33: First Training (1)
School Violence, Bully Master Education Project!
A project for Jin-ho, who had been bullied for a year, to take revenge on the main perpetrator of violence, Kang Tae-wook, during Taewoon High’s biggest event, the Athletic Meet.
A ridiculous epic of a D-class challenging an A-class.
The remaining period was one month.
Would.
“Jin-ho be able to succeed in his revenge!”
A woman’s voice echoed on the rooftop.
“……”
“……”
Yoo jin and Jin-ho, who had moved to the rooftop for training, had their eyes narrowed into a straight line.
Clearly.
Yoo jin had only sought out Jin-ho after the closing remarks.
Jin-ho was the only one who had come up to the rooftop with him.
But.
“Ye-na. Why are you here?”
“What was that? I think I heard a narration? How did you do that?”
Ye-na was standing in front of Jin-ho and Yoo jin.
Yoo jin’s student, with bright orange hair that looked great with the school uniform, who was now genuinely able to smile, was standing there.
“How did you even know to come? I deliberately didn’t call you.”
“Because I sit quite close to Jin-ho. Hehe.”
“You don’t need training anymore, though. Although your family hasn't become completely harmonious, you visit your mother and father often, right?”
“That’s one thing, and this is another, Teacher.”
“What is she talking about? Do you know what she means?”
Yoo jin’s gaze turned to Jin-ho.
“Hmm... Sort of?”
“Honestly, I can’t understand what these kids are thinking.”
Although he said that, a faint smile was spreading across Yoo jin’s lips.
“Even though I don’t need to become strong for my family anymore, I want to become strong. Like you, Teacher. Not as strong as you, but strong enough to help people who reach out their hands.”
Her orange hair, which stood out even more because of the sunlight, bowed.
A pleasant spring breeze shook her hair.
Her slightly raised eyes looked toward Yoo jin.
“Actually, I’m not cruel enough to ignore the eyes of those asking for help... Hehe.”
The face of the child scratching her head seemed to shine more brightly than the sun in the sky.
“Hey, kid. You don’t know yet, but.”
A smile spread across Yoo jin’s lips.
“That is also a talent.”
A question mark floated on the faces of both Ye-na, who had spoken, and Jin-ho, who was watching beside her.
Even if they didn’t know it now, they would know someday.
That what they thought was a burden was more radiant than any gold.
Yoo jin quickly added one more thing.
“Since you came of your own accord. You can’t run away.”
Ye-na’s eyes formed the shape of a half-moon.
“Yes! I’ll work hard! And I’ll help hard! Jin-ho’s Revenge Match! The project to crush Tae-wook!”
“……”
“……”
Ye-na, who had been observing their reaction, covered her mouth with her hand.
“Did I say it too loudly...?”
“No... Just don’t say it in the classroom...”
And so, the remaining trainee was decided.
***
“I heard your father came today?”
“I heard he came to meet the homeroom teacher? Isn’t he stopping by the classroom later? To see you?”
The words he heard in the morning did not leave Kang Tae-wook’s mind until the class ended.
Crunch.
Even if he clenched his teeth so hard his molars hurt.
Even if he suppressed his anger enough for his fingernails to pierce his palm and injure it.
The sound echoing in his head would not disappear.
Why?
Why were his emotions surging like this?
Was it because his father ultimately didn’t come to the classroom?
Or was it because he heard the news of his father’s visit from his friends, without his own knowledge.
Or, perhaps.
Kang Tae-wook’s gaze, standing at the back door, was directed into the classroom.
Specifically, toward his homeroom teacher, Yoo jin.
After the closing remarks ended.
At the moment when students were quickly passing the back door to go home.
Tae-wook should have left school with his lackeys, Chan-sol and Min-jun, but he didn't.
He didn't know the exact reason.
He just couldn’t bring himself to leave.
It couldn't be helped.
It was the first time his father had ever come to school personally to meet someone.
An inspection by the Association due to the terror incident?
There was no way the Vice President would do such a thing.
Today, he must have come not as the Vice President.
But purely for his father's personal reasons.
And Tae-wook knew this better than anyone.
Although he was always demanding.
His father had never once come to see Tae-wook.
At the entrance ceremony, the dormitory, the school.
No, not even at home.
Crunch.
‘I don’t like him.’
From their first meeting.
When he became the homeroom teacher.
Until now.
He was full of things Tae-wook disliked.
‘As if he was intentionally created.’
The first person who saw right through him.
And the first human for whom the trump card of the name 'father' did not work.
But why.
‘Am I here?’
Unable to return home.
Why was he hiding secretly at the back door?
Why was he waiting for a situation where they could be alone without being discovered by the other students?
Perhaps.
Was there something he wanted to say...
Kang Tae-wook’s gaze fell to the ground.
This feeling was new, so it felt unfamiliar.
So he asked himself.
Was he envious of the homeroom teacher who received attention?
Or.
Perhaps, within that.
‘Was my story...’
A voice that cleared away his thoughts echoed.
And it once again caused Tae-wook’s emotions to surge.
“Kid, follow me to the rooftop.”
The homeroom teacher’s voice was directed at Jin-ho.
And the two of them moved to the rooftop.
He also saw Ye-na, a student from the same class, follow them to the rooftop a moment later.
He should have turned back then.
If he were his usual self.
Today was a strange day.
So he followed them.
The door connected to the rooftop.
He could not move past it.
He didn’t have the confidence to open the door and talk to them.
Nor did he have the confidence to face all of them.
He stood like a stone in front of the door.
And so...
He heard many things.
“He’s going to beat me? Jin-ho, the weakest in our class?”
A fruitless effort.
No, one hundred out of one hundred people.
A story that anyone would say was nonsense.
“Athletic Meet.”
But why...
Tae-wook’s arm was trembling.
If it was the Athletic Meet, his father would definitely come.
Not to see him, but to attend as an honored guest.
Even though it was only a high school event, his father had attended even before he became the Vice President.
Especially since his older brother attended the school.
So, he would come this time too.
Definitely.
In a place like that.
“There’s no way I would lose to a guy like that...”
He could be certain of that.
He was confident he would win a hundred times out of a hundred.
D-class and A-class.
A wall that could not be crossed, no matter how hard one struggled, existed.
It would definitely be so.
But.
Crrrrunch!
It was strange.
That wouldn't change.
There was absolutely no way he would lose.
“Why is my father’s face coming to mind?”
Not that Jin-ho kid.
If it was that teacher...
Kang Tae-wook’s legs moved down the stairs.
And...
His father’s expression, like he was looking at an insect, was directed toward him in his mind.
***
“First, you.”
Yoo jin’s voice echoed on the rooftop.
“Before we begin the training, there’s something we need to clearly establish. You will proceed with a different training method than Jin-ho.”
Ye-na was standing where Yoo jin’s gaze stopped, her eyes sparkling.
“Aren’t we training the same way?”
“You can gain experience in real combat or become physically stronger, but your rank won’t increase, nor will your fundamentally given power become stronger.”
“Then... what kind of training should I do...”
Yoo jin’s mind recalled his first meeting with Ye-na.
‘Surprise.’
‘Where did she appear from?’
It was Ye-na’s Unique Skill.
Not just concealing the body and erasing one’s presence, but a Stealth Skill that was so effective even he, a Returnee, couldn’t detect her.
No.
Stealth, Infiltration, Invisibility.
It was the highest class Unique Skill among the abilities that collectively referred to those.
Ye-na had an incredible aptitude, probably greater than any world-famous Hunter, when it came to stealth.
“A Stealth Ability that even I can’t detect. At that level, it’s not just erasing one’s presence; it’s an incredible talent that even Detection-Type Ability Holders cannot find. So...”
Yoo jin’s fingertip pointed toward Ye-na.
“You will focus on mastering your Unique Skill! Especially on increasing its duration!”
“Ooh!”
Ye-na’s orange eyes sparkled brightly.
“And the culmination of that training is.”
“Is...”
Yoo jin’s eyes flashed.
“An Assassin!”
“Wow!”
Clap clap clap!
“That’s so cool, Ye-na.”
“That sounds kind of awesome!”
Jin-ho and Ye-na waved their arms like young children.
Yoo jin, who was smiling softly while watching the children, spoke again.
“Ye-na, your Awakened Rank was B, right?”
“Yes!”
“Then, let’s see. If we increase the duration and proficiency, and improve your combat sense through sparring with me, let’s see...”
Yoo jin, who had been scratching his chin and thinking, snapped his fingers.
“Right. If you train under me for just one year, you’ll probably be able to defeat most A-classes.”
Ye-na’s and Jin-ho’s eyes grew twice as wide.
“Most A-classes...”
“A B-class can defeat an A-class?”
“Since you’ll be an Assassin, you won’t be fighting in fundamentally equal situations. Consider your Unique Skill a blessing.”
Ye-na clenched her hands.
These were the words of her teacher, not just anyone.
The words of Teacher Yoo jin.
The man who saved her and her family.
“Please take good care of me!”
“Sure, sure! Passion is what kids are all about!”
Looking at Ye-na’s sparkling eyes, Yoo jin added one more thing.
“Lastly, one more thing, your ability isn't limited only to Dungeons or combat. If you push your Stealth Skill to its limit, you’ll probably be able to go anywhere, just like a spy in a secret agent movie.”
The children’s expressions brightened more than they had so far.
“Oh! That’s the coolest part!”
“If it’s an ability to enter anywhere, I could enter a Dungeon that no one else could enter, or the center of an enemy country! I could even enter a prison that no one can enter and meet my dad and come out!”
“Ye-na, I think something weird got mixed in at the end...”
“Ehh! I just meant it as an example, just an example.”
Behind Ye-na’s mischievous expression...
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Laughter echoed on the rooftop.
After a long time filled with pleasant laughter, finally.
“Then, it’s the main character’s turn, right?”
The atmosphere settled again at Yoo jin’s voice.
“Main character?”
“Yes, the main character. The protagonist of the satisfying revenge story of a student who was bullied until now.”
Jin-ho’s expression grew heavy.
The long year of bullying came to mind.
“Yes, that’s just the right expression.”
“Pardon? What kind of expression did I make...”
“Enough anger to seek revenge, but not enough to kill, shall we say?”
Jin-ho’s eyes wavered.
“School violence cannot be forgiven. Especially a situation where someone judges the pain of the victim, or where they are externally forgiven because of graduation, or because time has passed, when the victim has not forgiven them.”
Words like, I won’t see you again, so live well.
I was sorry back then.
It was just childish recklessness.
It’s been ten years, let’s forget everything and live well.
Such words.
That is precisely the most painful bondage for the victims.
Because they never forgave them.
Therefore.
“I won’t tell you to forgive them. Instead, fight a battle that you can be satisfied with. And say one thing to that guy... that you won’t regret until the day you die.”
Yoo jin looked at Jin-ho with a more serious expression than ever.
He did not mention his older brother’s story.
Although it was partly to keep the discussion and direction focused.
That was not this child’s problem.
I don’t know what it was like until now, but it must be different now.
That burden must be borne on my shoulders, not this child’s.
For that.
Yoo jin returned from that hell.
“Anyway! Tae-wook is my student, too. I can’t let you kill him. That’s why I’m entrusting it to you, Jin-ho, and not doing it myself.”
Jin-ho didn’t know exactly what Teacher Yoo jin was saying.
Still.
“Athletic Meet. I will work hard for that day, the day I look down on that guy for the first time!”
Bright hostility filled the rooftop.
With this, all preparations were complete.
So.
“Jin-ho, your training is simple. You don’t need to spar with me or enhance your Unique Skill.”
“Oh, then what should I...”
Yoo jin took something out of his pocket.
And...
A grin.
A devilish expression appeared on Yoo jin’s face.
“You just have to survive.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Jin-ho was sucked into the Gourd Yoo jin was holding.