Chapter 6: Reinstatement
After the Returnee's voice rang out, the atmosphere in the Guild Master's office sank in an instant.
A feeling as if the space had changed.
It felt like falling into the middle of a suffocating jungle.
It also felt like moving to somewhere with gravity several times stronger than Earth.
Everyone except Yoo jin was feeling this sensation.
Lee Si-wang and the secretary, who were making eye contact with Yoo jin, had their faces turn purple as if they had forgotten how to breathe.
Ignis Guild Master Cho Sang-geun, who was standing blankly in front of the desk, was even more surprised by this emotion he was feeling and had hardened like a stone.
Even when entering an S-class dungeon.
Even during the Dungeon Break in Yeoncheon, which had now become a restricted area.
Cho Sang-geun had never felt this kind of emotion.
No matter if they were Awakened, they could not perfectly control their emotions.
Because they were definitely humans.
However, unlike ordinary Awakened, when one reached S-class, emotions like fear and terror became dull enough to be distinctly compared to general people.
Because it was too far away.
Because it didn't easily hit home.
And the biggest reason was knowing that situations where one could be killed had become events that could not easily happen anymore.
That was why the body was reacting before the emotions.
As if scolding the dulled mind.
As if begging the mind, which was steeped in a body that had become too strong.
‘I want to live.’
Unlike the frozen body, Cho Sang-geun's heart was beating fast enough to burst at any moment.
It was the same feeling as when a lion, reigning as the top predator in the wild, met a dinosaur for the first time.
“......Ugh!”
It was then that a short groan rang out.
Yoo jin's gaze moved to the source of the sound.
Only then did he discover the figure of Jin-ho, whose posture had collapsed from pain.
After the sound of a short tongue click, Yoo jin's hardened expression relaxed.
Then, fascinatingly, the heavy pressure pressing down on the Guild Master's office disappeared.
As soon as the pressure vanished, rapid breaths burst out from not only Jin-ho but also the mouths of Lee Si-wang and the secretary.
“Ha...... Ha......”
Complexions returning little by little.
“Be grateful to this kid. If not for him, you guys wouldn't have been able to leave this room alive.”
The Returnee's words were true.
Because Cho Sang-geun was feeling that the best.
Mental skill?
Barrier magic that makes air disappear?
He didn't know exactly what it was, but something equivalent to that, no, something more than that, had filled this room until just a moment ago.
The strange thing was that no trace of the Returnee raising magical power or using a skill could be found.
Judging by the Returnee's words, it seemed he did something, but no matter how much he thought, he couldn't even catch a clue as to what on earth that something was which filled this room until just a moment ago.
“Educate your henchmen well. If a remark ignoring a teacher comes out of their mouths one more time, then......”
He definitely did not say the following words.
However, everyone here clearly engraved those following words in their hearts.
Cho Sang-geun's gaze, which had been nodding unknowingly, moved.
To Lee Si-wang and the secretary, whose complexions had returned and were only now straightening their backs.
In the end, back to Yoo jin.
“They are not henchmen. They are my family.”
A voice without retreat.
And heavy eyes.
Just as Yoo jin had something more precious than the world, Cho Sang-geun also had something precious he had to protect more than the fear in front of his eyes.
A small smile hung on the corners of Yoo jin's mouth upon discovering those eyes.
Yoo jin knew those eyes.
Because they were the eyes he saw the most in situations where lives came and went, no, in situations where life had already become unimportant.
Usually, guys with eyes like that.
“Just one thing, I like it.”
Were guys who didn't need to be guided.
“I apologize for calling them henchmen. Most of the countries I unified were full of thug-like guys, so it became a habit.”
At the moment Lee Si-wang and the secretary were reading the room at the incomprehensible words and expression.
“Um...... I'm sorry, but it's time for me to go to school now......”
All gazes in the Guild Master's office focused on one place.
The school uniform with the Taewoon High symbol embedded on it was visible.
Above that, a youthful face that was reading the room anxiously despite speaking with difficulty was visible.
The atmosphere sank in a different sense from before.
The silence continuing around Jin-ho was broken by the voice of the secretary who had maintained silence for a long time.
“You are the student who came with the Returnee, right? Don't worry about school. For school, we......”
The secretary spoke as softly as possible to reassure Jin-ho.
At the same time, she explained to Jin-ho concisely without beating around the bush so he could understand at once.
Yoo jin, who was watching that appearance, crossed his arms and stroked his chin.
At Jin-ho's one word.
It suddenly came to mind.
‘It's been 10 years in reality, am I still a teacher?’
It was a short time compared to the 100 years Yoo jin spent in the other world, but 10 years in reality.
No matter if there was a special circumstance.
There would be no company anywhere that maintained the position of a person who hadn't come to work for 10 years.
Yoo jin's mouth hardened into a straight line.
Unlike Alkarthus where everything was achieved, this was Earth.
Where there were rules unique to this place, and order.
It wasn't that he had to follow them unconditionally, but unlike when he was in Alkarthus, he had to resolve things within the minimum boundaries set by the people here.
Unless he was going to kill them all.
“How do I have to go back to school?”
Yoo jin's gaze, which was muttering to himself, moved and met in mid-air with the gaze of Cho Sang-geun, who was making a serious expression.
This is Ignis Guild, called the top 3 in South Korea.
The person in front of his eyes was the Guild Master of that place and the second strongest Hunter in South Korea.
The corners of Yoo jin's mouth slowly went up.
“I'm not going to sign a contract with you guys, you see.”
Blink blink.
As the Returnee's voice filled the space.......
“First of all, you'd want to maintain a good relationship with me, right? Since you don't know about future matters.”
An ominous premonition was felt.
“Did you say the down payment for the Supreme King or whatever was 100 billion? Perhaps this might move my heart a little more than 100 billion right now, you see.”
However, rather than the ominousness creeping up, Cho Sang-geun wanted to reach out for that lifeline coming out of the Returnee's mouth.
Just in case.
“What do you want?”
Yoo jin's gaze headed toward the school uniform Jin-ho was wearing.
To be exact, to the Taewoon High symbol embedded on the chest.
Grin.
“Get me reinstated.”
Yoo jin and Jin-ho who came out of the Ignis Guild.
“Then see you later.”
At Yoo jin's voice, Jin-ho, who was about to board the vehicle provided by Ignis Guild, asked in surprise.
“Mister, no. Weren't you going to school too, Returnee-sir?”
“What Returnee-sir? You keep cosplaying as a good student since earlier. Just call me Teacher.”
“Yes. But how do you intend to go if you don't take the car? It's a bit far to walk to school?”
“I intend to fly there, why?”
“Teacher, do you have flight abilities too?”
“I won't even be able to play pranks at school now.”
Jin-ho, whose face turned red, hardened his lips into a straight line.
Lee Si-wang, who decided to accompany them to Taewoon High School, asked Yoo jin.
“Weren't you going to school? I was accompanying you because I thought so.”
Although they sent an official document urgently, to request cooperation from the principal, Ignis Guild Master Cho Sang-geun made the choice to send Lee Si-wang to Taewoon High representing the guild.
Even if the appointment wasn't right today.
Because the Returnee wanted to return to school quickly.
“Don't worry. I'll make sure to get there by the time the vehicle arrives at school.”
Lee Si-wang, who thought of something, hardened his expression and opened his mouth.
Although he didn't hear the details, he could guess where his destination was.
“Are you intending to stop by that place?”
“.......”
When Yoo jin fell silent for a moment, unlike the two, Jin-ho, who hadn't heard the story about that place, looked at Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang alternately.
“I have to go. Originally, I should have stopped by there first thing as soon as I returned.”
Yoo jin moved his gaze to the clear sky.
Lee Si-wang, who was watching that appearance, boarded the stopped vehicle.
“Get in, Jin-ho. He will come soon.”
Jin-ho, who was looking at Yoo jin, boarded the vehicle.
At the same time Yoo jin's gaze, which was looking at the sky, came back down, the vehicle carrying Jin-ho and Lee Si-wang departed.
The vehicle getting farther and farther away from the guild headquarters.
Yoo jin, who was looking at the vehicle, slowly moved his legs.
The sentries of Ignis Guild guarding the entrance of the headquarters like an army guard post.
Since they had already received the report, the sentries only placed their gazes on Yoo jin but did not take any action.
Before long, Yoo jin passed them.
When he came out of the barrier protecting the headquarters.
“Should I buy some alcohol or something? He passed away without being able to drink a single cup of alcohol in his life because of me......”
Yoo jin's figure disappeared.
Although only 10 years had passed in reality, 100 years had flowed for Yoo jin.
Like that.
Yoo jin headed to the charnel house to meet his student too late.
The top floor of Ignis Guild.
The Guild Master's office the Returnee left.
“Good work.”
“What do you mean good work. You worked hard.”
“But Guild Master, why did you grant all of his demands? Even if school is one thing, the location of the charnel house...... If you grant everything he wants, he might just use us.”
Cho Sang-geun's eyes, which were facing the secretary, headed out the window.
“I have to do even that, what else can I do. Even if I know he's using me, I have to be used. Even like that, I must stay by that Returnee's side.”
The secretary did not ask anymore.
Deep worry was stuck on Cho Sang-geun's face reflected in the window.
Ziiing―.
The mobile phone placed on the desk began to vibrate.
“Don't worry. He is bound to move anyway. Because the stronger power one possesses, they move for their own benefit, not for the great cause. Like the President.”
Leaving behind the secretary's eyes stained with pity, Cho Sang-geun lifted the mobile phone and checked the text message.
[Research Center Team Leader Kim Gyu-il]
― Brother, how did it go?
Did you decide to sign?
Do you know how much acting I did with my whole body to send him to your guild?
Anyway, considering my efforts, you shouldn't let him be taken by the President or the Association.
Cho Sang-geun, who checked the text, put the mobile phone down again.
It was then that the secretary's voice was heard.
“By the way, shouldn't we...... report it?”
“Report what?”
“Everything that happened with the Returnee.”
“Why? If it's you, you should know my intentions.”
“Because that person, no, the Returnee didn't look like he would accept Guild Master's proposal.”
“You're cool-headed.”
“Because that is also a secretary's virtue.”
The Guild Master, who caught his breath for a moment, opened his mouth again.
“I agree with your words too.”
“Then......”
“Still, let's withhold the report for now.”
“Why? If it becomes like this.”
“We won't be able to avoid responsibility.”
“That is why I am telling you. Or at least check the Awakening Grade first, and leak it to the media so...... At least our share......”
The secretary's eyes shook while spitting out words.
“I apologize. I crossed the line.”
“No. It was realistic advice. However, if we do as you say, he will be taken by the President anyway. And this choice isn't just because of that.”
“Then on earth......”
“Because he didn't want it.”
“But......”
“I'm not saying we'll hide it until the end. I mean let's go slowly. And even if we wanted to hide it, could we hide it?”
Although there was no subject, the secretary could understand exactly what his words meant.
“He possesses such power, stronger than the Returnees so far. Do you think it makes sense for him to teach kids at school? People would curse even if he was a teacher at Rome Academy, the world's number 1.”
“.......”
“He won't be able to stay at school for long anyway.”
South Korea Ranking 2nd.
Ignis Guild Master.
S-class.
Because Cho Sang-geun was someone whom only the modifier of 'best' followed, he could be certain.
“King...... No, he possesses power that could even become a god, so why would he be a teacher. What is a teacher anyway.”