Ch.112112. Pursuit

The atmosphere in the faculty office was heavy. A small group of instructors, including Eun Se-rin, along with department heads and vice principals, were staring intently at a single object.

“So, this red powder… that failed product from before has resurfaced?”

One of the older instructors trembled. It was something that had been distributed before and was known as a failure.

But it was found in the academy?

Kim Tae-sung, the first-year department head, looked at Eun Se-rin.

“Instructor Eun, where exactly was this discovered? In a classroom…?”

“No. It was found in the storage room. But as you know, there’s no CCTV coverage there.”

“But it can’t just be an academy student who’s responsible. Couldn’t it be someone targeting a place with little foot traffic?”

Of course, among drug trafficking methods, there’s one called “dropping.”

The storage room could have been chosen as a drop point.

“But security has been strengthened since the attack. Outsiders can’t just enter freely.”

Eun Se-rin dismissed that possibility.

“So there’s someone on the inside? We’ll have to check the CCTV footage leading to the storage room and investigate all students who passed by.”

“But this substance is different from ordinary drugs. We should use monster ‘detectors’ rather than drug tests.”

“Monster detectors? Don’t tell me….”

Anxiety was visible on the department head’s face. Eun Se-rin began explaining calmly.

“This drug was made using monsters from the beginning. It was created to let humans harness monster power, but instead of gaining that power, users had their own energy drained.”

“Right. But I heard this new version works, though it eats away at the body?”

“It causes overheating. Overload. If we’re being honest, this version is worse. If someone gets addicted to that power and keeps using it, their body won’t be able to handle it.”

Since it contains monster components, using monster detectors to identify it is the conclusion reached by the National Forensic Service and other associations.

The important question was who. The instructors pondered deeply.

“If we make a public announcement, some will be tempted by the power of that red powder.”

“Even if we warn about side effects, students desperate for better grades will think ‘just a little’ or ‘it’s worth the risk’ and take it anyway. This is a formula that has historically led to ruin. We must keep this confidential.”

Second-year department head Jin Ju-ha shared the same opinion.

They absolutely shouldn’t announce it and should complete the testing secretly.

The question was who would do it and how.

Eun Se-rin mentioned she had already infiltrated some students.

“As expected of Instructor Eun. You’ve already deployed them.”

“Yes. But since that child is an ordinary student, we should provide support. That’s why I’m seeking your permission.”

With that, the meeting concluded.

*

In fact, what’s happening today afternoon could be considered a practice run.

To maintain an appropriate level of tension.

When I appeared wearing a blue enhancement suit, everyone’s gaze shifted.

They’re probably seeing it for the first time. Yes, it’s a trophy I earned through diligent testing.

“Wow, did you buy a new one? But in the end, enhancement suits are just aids. Most Jaegers don’t wear them. But I understand since you don’t have a summoning spirit.”

Yu Deok-min seems somewhat excited. It seems he’s still hurt from being dissed by Ariel.

Does he want to put me down here to show off again?

The me before the Arboretum incident might have avoided conflict.

But now it’s different. I’ve realized that confrontation is the right answer.

“No matter how improved the performance is, a D-grade is your limit, right? Still, you might last a bit longer.”

“…”

Now we faced each other from a distance. This enhancement suit is a slightly improved version compared to the one I was testing before.

It can handle C-grade opponents.

“Hoo.”

I infused mana to activate its functions.

I’ll fight trusting its performance.

Finally experiencing a C-grade enhancement suit, I started thinking strategically.

Making predictions.

Yu Deok-min isn’t particularly a type I’ve kept in mind like Min Gang-su.

But through our previous match, he’s finally entered my analysis.

In our two previous confrontations, he always leads with his right hand.

His steps are clumsy, creating openings when attacking or retreating.

As the starting signal sounded and I focused, Yu Deok-min came into clear view.

He’s approaching with steps. But, he’s faster than expected.

His fist flies toward me faster than I predicted.

I raise my hands to guard, but my balance starts to crumble.

I’m shaken, but the damage is manageable. Most importantly, I can respond.

The speed I couldn’t keep up with before. Plus, as I’m getting hit, I realize his attack power is surprisingly weak.

As his rapid punches pound against my guard, I kick at Yu Deok-min’s knee.

When he staggers from that blow, I immediately grab one of his legs and go for a takedown.

“You bastard!”

By then, my fist had already struck his face.

Another hit.

I could see Yu Deok-min’s expression becoming extremely agitated as he exerted force.

“Aaaaargh!”

Then he displayed monstrous strength and threw me off.

As I regained my stance, Yu Deok-min approached in excitement.

Right hand. All I saw was Yu Deok-min’s right hand.

The exact moment that hand moved.

I launched a counter.

I felt a dull impact on my hand. His fist went past the side of my face while my fist successfully landed squarely on his face.

As Yu Deok-min staggered with clumsy steps, I immediately stepped forward to pursue.

I delivered an uppercut, hook, and middle kick in succession.

Yu Deok-min’s punch swept past my face in a crescent shape, but it’s fine. I wasn’t hit.

I delivered a knee kick to the face of the bent-over opponent.

Staggering, Yu Deok-min began to retreat. I regained my stance and charged.

Attack power isn’t the issue. I couldn’t keep up with his speed before, but now I can gauge it.

The same goes for reaction speed.

My eyes were tracking Yu Deok-min much better.

Yu Deok-min swung his hand and backed away, but it’s not enough. Clumsy steps can’t shake off my pursuit.

As I charged again, Yu Deok-min instinctively guarded his face.

But my target was his abdomen.

As I struck at his liver, Yu Deok-min fell to his knees with a scream.

At this point, he should consider giving up. But Yu Deok-min stubbornly got back up.

“Do Jong-hyun, you… What’s with that enhancement suit? The performance is different.”

“It’s a new model, so of course it performs better. You’re asking the obvious.”

“Huff!”

Yu Deok-min caught his breath and began charging at me again.

He’s tougher than I thought.

This time, Yu Deok-min didn’t extend his hand. Has he realized that I’m watching his right hand?

He’s smart, so he probably noticed. But in that case…

I kicked and backed away.

Even with the enhancement suit, he’s subtly faster.

And this time, his left hand will come up. I prepared a counter after making my prediction.

A more powerful counter.

As he charged and was about to extend his left hand, I timed it and jumped.

The moment my flying knee kick struck Yu Deok-min’s face, I sensed the match was over.

Yu Deok-min fell, and the match seemed decided. But this tenacious guy got up again.

“You’ve got stamina.”

“You bastard! You bastard!”

He’s agitated, but his trembling legs and staggering body are clearly visible.

Well, I’ll go in for the finish.

“I won’t lose.”

Yu Deok-min kept muttering to himself as I moved to the side.

Suddenly, Yu Deok-min’s hand grabbed my foot.

“Hm?”

With my ankle suddenly caught, I felt my perspective shift.

He threw me.

I felt a floating sensation as I was lifted high. What kind of strength is this?

Abnormal. Eun Se-rin’s words flashed in my mind.

I could see Yu Deok-min below, clenching his fist and aiming at me.

He needs to take me down with a significant impact. As I was descending and targeting Yu Deok-min,

suddenly, I saw him collapse and writhe in pain.

I landed safely, and the match was over.

“Shit!”

But Yu Deok-min shook off Min Gang-su who had tried to help him.

“I lost? I lost? Fucking hell. Let’s go again!”

As he tried to charge in excitement, Su-cheon and Hui-min held him back.

“Get off! You idiots! Hey! Do Jong…”

But then, Yu Deok-min stopped. He flinched as if startled by something.

Then he suddenly started running away. Wasn’t it the same last time?

I thought of the red powder.

Could it be?

As all sorts of thoughts raced through my mind, Ariel approached.

“Well done. I’m starting to like you. But what’s with that enhancement suit?”

“I got this while testing enhancement suit performance. As you know, I’m the only Jaeger who frequently uses enhancement suits.”

“True, Do Jong-hyun. You can’t do without it.”

Ariel, seemingly in a good mood, skips away happily. The class ends here, but I have something to do.

It feels a bit wrong to use these people for personal matters.

During break time, I secretly went to a corner.

“Ah, hyung? Yes. The security personnel are reduced so it’s tough? I’m sorry. But you don’t have to do it today. Instead, I have a favor to ask.”

I asked the security team to monitor Yu Deok-min.

“I’m sorry. I’m not some high-ranking person to be making such requests.”

Strictly speaking, the security team is here to protect me, not to run my errands.

So each of these requests is burdensome and something I shouldn’t be doing. But this time, I had to act.

[Ah, that? Don’t worry. The school asked us to listen to your requests. Something about a mission you’re doing? They didn’t specify what mission though.]

“Oh? They did? That’s fortunate. Then please help me. I’ll stay quiet today, so just check on Yu Deok-min.”

That’s a relief. Now I can make the request legally.

It seems the school is taking this incident seriously too.

With this, I sent off Gyeong-su hyung who was in charge of my security today.

So no security team today?

I’m going right away. As soon as classes ended, I headed straight to Incheon.

*

Seol Yu-hwa was feeling a peculiar emotion right now.

‘I should help Jong-hyun.’

She knew that Do Jong-hyun had been struggling recently. She wanted to help.

But she was strictly managed by the White Dragon Guild, leaving her with almost no free time after school.

‘I want to at least comfort Jong-hyun.’

But Ariel had already done that. She had boldly stood up for Do Jong-hyun when he was being disrespected.

And she did it in front of Yu Deok-min, a second-year lackey.

Though envious, she wasn’t Ariel.

She was too shy to be so bold, and while she wanted to offer support, she hesitated.

‘Why? I should just cheer him on confidently. Can’t even send a text? You idiot.’

She had no time except on weekends, and sending a single text required all her courage.

‘We’re not dating, just close friends… right?’

She should help as a friend, but she hesitated. Seol Yu-hwa found it hard to identify this emotion.

But the moment she saw Ariel openly helping Do Jong-hyun, this feeling became quite concrete.

‘I want to… help like that too.’

Frustration and jealousy surged at being less proactive than Ariel.

It was hard to just send a message, but she also didn’t want to lose to Ariel.

‘Isn’t there a way I can help in my own way?’

But she wasn’t rich like Ariel, nor did she have money or power.

‘I’ll help Do Jong-hyun with what I can do.’

Seol Yu-hwa called her mentor, Lee Chae-rin.

“Yes, Chae-rin unni. I wanted to ask something. What happens if there’s bullying within the academy? Can it be tolerated under the pretext of discipline?”

[Absolutely not. Our husb—I mean, our guild master is someone who forbids such things. Just as the White Dragon Guild trains rigorously but doesn’t make strange demands or controls, such things are absolutely not allowed. It’s an abuse of the name of discipline.]

Lee Chae-rin spoke firmly.

[Well, setting aside the debate about discipline, that’s something instructors handle. Someone who’s just learning alongside you shouldn’t act that way just because they entered a year earlier. But why? Are the second-years acting strange these days?]

“What if second-years are bullying first-years and more than half of the second-years are involved? What if there are too many?”

[If there are that many, it would be hard to severely punish the second-years, and separate classes might not be an alternative… Oh? Guild Master?]

At that moment, the voice on the phone changed.

It was none other than Dok Go-jun. Seol Yu-hwa almost tripped.

“Guild Master? I heard you had appointments today?”

[Schedules can change anytime. By the way, is the academy becoming strange these days? And too many to punish? That goes against the principles of those of us who led its establishment. That’s not why we founded the school. If there’s guilt, it will be thoroughly addressed.]

It was a reassuring answer. Seol Yu-hwa thanked them and ended the call.

‘If necessary, I might be able to help. In my own way! Looks like those two are working together right now, given they’re right next to each other.’

Seol Yu-hwa didn’t know, but the two were indeed “working” in bed.

She just didn’t know. Anyway, Seol Yu-hwa had successfully secured a powerful ally.