Ch.17New Characteristic – 3

“I’m dying….”

The Gatekeeper is human too, human! You need to give me some time to rest.

How can more than twenty people rush in within an hour?

After finishing the evaluations, I entered the faculty lounge.

I thought it might be a bit awkward if someone was there, but there was no one.

Trembling―

I didn’t notice during the evaluations, but I seem to have been physically drained.

When your hands shake even while sitting still, it’s definitely not a good sign.

Even though I was dealing with people whose skills were all at the Bronze level, it was this exhausting.

I think I’ll be in big trouble if stronger people come later.

‘Well, The Elder was fine since he’s a being that others can’t handle anyway….’

I’m human too. I can see things and hear things.

Officially, I’ve only worked as an evaluator at the Academy for exactly two days.

But in those two days, my name has been circulating among the students.

‘The problem is that it’s circulating mostly in a negative way.’

That a Silver-grade evaluator with a completely different level from before has arrived.

Unlike those who would pass people easily even with minimal effort, this one evaluates very strictly.

That I might be acting as a “Gatekeeper” against Bronze-level people because I have an inferiority complex about my own level.

‘It’s definitely not good for me that such rumors are spreading.’

There are many people in the Bronze grade who truly lack skill.

Even Junwoo Park and those delinquent friends of his aren’t particularly impressive.

Let’s just say it would be immediately understandable if I said I was just a bit careless?

Because of this, it’s enough to cause misunderstandings that I’m “strong against the weak, weak against the strong.”

It means rumors could spread that I’m showing off against Bronze-level people.

I wonder if it would have been better if people knew I stood my ground against The Elder.

If that were the case, I wouldn’t have to hear things like “A low-level ability user with severe inferiority complex pathetically cosplaying as a strong character against Bronze-level people.”

This kind of treatment isn’t exactly pleasant. I have my circumstances too.

It’s very regrettable for a Gatekeeper like me when people make such judgments out of nowhere.

But I couldn’t just quit the assignment.

Because of Soohyun Kim? Because of Hyunwoo Lee? Of course, they’re part of the reason.

Both could become powerful allies if guided well.

In addition to that, another reason emerged just a little while ago.

– The Third Eye is activated.

◎ Seojin Baek

: Silver Gatekeeper

◎ Details

: No one can pass without the Gatekeeper’s permission.

– The trait has been strengthened due to reaching the required value.

– A sub-trait has been created.

◎ Sub-trait

: Sole Arbiter

◎ Details

: Recognizes all those who have not received promotion from you as evaluation subjects.

◎ Sub-trait

: Bittersweet Triumph

◎ Details

: Stacks accumulate in proportion to the number of promotion failures of the designated target.

Upon successful promotion, the designated target’s ability is strengthened by the amount of stacks.

– There is a waiting time until the next required value.

– The waiting time can be shortened by ‘Silver-grade evaluations within the Academy’.

This part was newly added when I finished the last evaluation.

That there is a waiting time until the next required value.

And that waiting time can be reduced by ‘grade evaluations within the Academy’.

My assigned trait from the beginning is Silver Gatekeeper.

If I act in a way that doesn’t match that trait, the waiting time probably won’t decrease easily.

It’s a simple prediction, but also an intuition that it will definitely be that way.

Therefore, I can’t quit the Academy assignment.

I need to reduce the waiting time and generate the next required value once more.

Then a new path to become even stronger than now will appear.

As a bonus, changing Soohyun Kim’s “Inferiority-Driven Genius” trait.

And completely eliminating the 1% possibility of her becoming The Crimson Witch.

And it would be even better to make the protagonist, Hyunwoo Lee, stronger.

“Still, there’s nothing I can do about being tired….”

On my days off, I should exercise rather than just staying at home.

The saying that you should exercise and build up stamina while you’re young wasn’t for nothing.

It’s terrible that my body is already like this.

Knock knock―

“Excuse me! Is Evaluator Seojin Baek in there?”

What now? Can’t they let me rest a bit? Gatekeepers are human, and civil servants are human too.

I’ve worked a lot, so I should be given the legally permitted rest time.

“Yes. I’m here. Come in.”

I forcibly raise my stiff body and stretch my shoulders once.

A security guard? Or a faculty member? Is Hakjun Ma looking for me again?

While I was thinking about various possibilities, the lounge door opens slightly.

“Excuse me.”

And beyond it, a female student cautiously peeks her head in.

“Ah, hello, Evaluator Seojin Baek. Sorry to disturb you during your break.”

“No, no. I was about to head out anyway. By the way, who are you?”

“Yes! I’m, uh, from the student council.”

The student council, something that’s absolutely essential in academy stories.

As always, all the student council members here are aces.

Most of them are Gold grade, and among the department heads, there are even Platinum grades, I’ve heard.

By outside standards, they’re at least B-grade or higher.

Additionally, they all come from impressive backgrounds.

The grandson of some company chairman. The daughter of some clan master, and so on.

If Soohyun Kim’s skills had been recognized, she would have been in the student council too.

For that reason, the status that student council members hold within the Academy is quite significant.

There are some unpleasant members, but the president keeps them in check from what I remember.

‘Didn’t the president and treasurer of the student council later become members of Hyunwoo Lee’s party?’

My memory is a bit hazy on that part. Unfortunately, there were many parts I didn’t finish reading.

“Evaluator Seojin Baek?”

“Ah. Sorry. Where was I? You said you’re from the student council?”

“Yes. Um, the vice president would like to meet with you. Would that be okay with your schedule?”

Vice president? Not the president or treasurer, but the vice president wants to see me?

‘…I can’t remember. Who was the student council vice president?’

Unlike the president or treasurer, whom I remember a little bit.

I have no memory at all of who the vice president was. I don’t know at all.

Why is that? After thinking for a moment, I soon let out an “Ah” with a sigh.

‘I don’t know anything else, but it must be a guy.’

Male characters from the student council probably didn’t even have a chance to remain in my memory.

“They want to meet me. Do you have any idea why?”

“I’m not sure about the details. I was just told to bring you if you agreed.”

“…Wait a minute.”

I stopped the female student’s words and stepped forward. I felt like I just heard something that didn’t add up.

Bring me? Even though she said it nicely, it ultimately means I should go to him.

He’s the one who wants to meet, but I’m the one who has to go, not him?

“That’s not right. Tell the vice president to come here.”

“Pardon?”

“I am not a student of the Academy. I’m a civil servant on assignment. I clearly belong to a department. I have duties to fulfill. Right now I may be on a short break, but how can you take someone performing official duties somewhere else?”

They have pride in their abilities and are treated as aces at the Academy.

In such situations, there are always some who go astray, and this vice president seemed like one of them.

It might be presumptuous, but no. I can feel it.

This ominous feeling was the same as when a troublesome civilian opens the entrance and approaches.

“If he wants to meet, tell him to come here.”

“Ah… yes, yes. I’m sorry. Then I’ll make a call and come back, would you wait?”

The female student disappears outside the lounge with a slightly embarrassed face.

I know that she is not the target of my displeasure.

But I can’t help it. Only by responding this way will that vice president understand the situation.

A moment later. Having finished her call, she came back inside.

“When I relayed your message, the vice president said he’ll come here.”

“Good. Let’s go outside then. It might be a bit uncomfortable in the common lounge.”

Somehow, I have a feeling this won’t be a pleasant meeting.

Suddenly, such a premonition began to creep up on me.

*

“…Yes. I understand. Tell him I’ll go there myself.”

After ending the call with a gentle voice, Yuhyun Jung.

“Ha. Fuck.”

Soon twisted his expression like an evil spirit and roughly shoved his phone into his pocket.

“That fucking Silver evaluator bastard.”

The new Silver-grade evaluator who just arrived.

He didn’t know where this guy came from, but he was extremely irritating.

As soon as he arrived, he defeated all the students, and today he set a new record.

He faced evaluees one after another and didn’t allow a single one to be promoted to Silver.

‘Is he pretending to be strong without knowing his place? Crazy bastard.’

He’s probably just a C-grade ability user at best.

He might be a bit better than the extremely inferior Bronze-level people, but that’s about it.

It was extremely irritating that someone like that was acting like he was something special.

‘As if that’s not enough, there are guys whining that Silver promotion suddenly became difficult.’

Those who don’t meet the standards should know their place.

It’s natural for those born with dirt spoons to dig the earth and be covered in dust.

Bronze or Silver “types” should, befitting the bottom of the ability user world.

It’s right for them to quietly accept and be grateful for whatever is thrown down from above.

Someone like that who couldn’t even enter the Academy, just because his skills are a bit better.

Yuhyun Jung had no intention of standing by and watching him openly show off by beating up Bronze-level people.

‘Investigation showed he was just an orphan with nothing special.’

He had already used his connections to investigate.

The third grandson of the honorary chairman of the Jinhan Group, a mid-sized corporation.

Yuhyun Jung was very actively using that backing.

‘I need to go and put him in his place.’

The vice president position in the student council, which has the strongest influence in the Academy.

His skills that have reached just before the Platinum grade.

And finally, his background that can’t even be compared to an orphan’s.

He intended to bury an arrogant evaluator like him with the weapons he possessed.

“Bronze or Silver. Their level is truly disgusting.”

Little did he know that the information he received, the materials investigated by his connections.

Had been thoroughly concealed by certain individuals.