Ch.195Why the Academy Again? – 1

Sujin Hyun. A superpower user I thought I’d never see again.

Someone who didn’t hesitate to take lives for the sake of avenging her lover.

Someone who refused offers to return and chose to end as a ‘villain’.

I thought she would remain forever in the shadows, never stepping into the light.

“But I never expected to see you like this.”

“Why? Did you think I might have committed suicide? Having finished what I needed to do, feeling guilty?”

“Not really. You never struck me as the suicidal type.”

At that, Sujin Hyun smirks and shrugs her shoulders.

“How have you been these days?”

“Same as always. Running away, staying on the move, and killing those I don’t like.”

“…”

“Oh, don’t look at me like that. I don’t just kill anyone. The ones I’ve dealt with so far were bastards who took bribes to protect villains. You have no idea how much trouble they’ve caused me over the years.”

I wondered what I should say, but decided to let it go.

Sujin Hyun was once an S-rank who fulfilled her duties.

If someone like her changed this much, there must have been several reasons.

I don’t particularly want to explain or persuade her from my perspective.

“Occasionally, I gather useful information and pass it to you superpower users.”

“Useful information, you say?”

“Yes. I was an Elder, remember? It’s much easier for me to access villain information and contacts than intelligence agencies. For instance, information that the Elders might attack around the time the United Academy is completed or when new students arrive.”

Wait. What did she just say? What information?

“What did you just say?”

“Why are you pretending you didn’t hear? That’s right. You heard correctly.”

Damn it. Is this starting again? Another academy attack?

Even monsters are evolving, so why don’t villains ever change?

There are government buildings, prisons holding villains, research facilities.

Why do these bastards always come rushing to the academy whenever we let our guard down?

“Why the academy again?”

“Don’t know. If I knew that much, I’d be sitting pretty. All I know for sure is they’re planning an attack. I almost crossed the River Jordan or the Sanzu River trying to extract this information.”

To be honest, I can kind of see why.

This world inevitably revolves around the protagonist.

Whether that protagonist is Hyunwoo Lee or me, it doesn’t deviate from that.

And both I and Hyunwoo will end up at the United Academy one way or another.

That’s why it’s only natural for the Elders to target the United Academy.

An academy story without an academy attack is like curry without meat, carrots, and onions.

Honestly, you could still eat it without those ingredients, but the taste would definitely suffer.

“The United Academy isn’t even completed yet, let alone accepting students.”

“But it will be soon. From what I’ve heard, it’ll be finished within two months at the latest.”

“Starting a semester right after those two months would be an odd timing, wouldn’t it?”

“Still, young superpower users and key figures from around the world will come to check out the academy. I think they’re planning to strike during that window.”

Those rotten bastards. After their internal conflicts, monster evolution, and decisive government crackdowns.

They’ve been lying low through all that, and now they’re planning to cause trouble again?

“I heard nearly half the Elders were killed. They’re still going ahead with this?”

“I don’t know exactly. I’m not an Elder anymore. I just heard rumors.”

That’s true. Sujin Hyun is no longer an Elder.

She’s treated as dead by both the villain side and the superpower community.

If she claimed to have accurate information from them, we should suspect deception.

“But you know what? I’ve lived with those crazy bastards, so I know them. They’ll definitely do it. They’re the type to act first and think later. No sane person lives like that.”

“True. Neither you nor Hyuk Kwak were exactly sane.”

“Agreed.”

I meant it half-jokingly, half-seriously, but she accepts it so coolly.

It makes me feel slightly guilty, as if I insulted her 100 percent.

“Have you shared this information with others?”

“Not yet. I was going to drop hints when I happened to run into you.”

“‘Happened to run into’ seems a stretch when you were deliberately leaking your energy as if waiting for me.”

At my words, Sujin Hyun tilts her head slightly and looks at me.

I think I understand. This is sensitive information, and she wants me to pass it on instead.

“Even if I relay this, what should I say when they ask where I heard it?”

“The Yellow Madwoman… excuse me. Anyway, Rina Lee caught The Mole, right? Just say you made an educated guess based on information extracted from him. It’s not like the Elders have never attacked an academy before.”

That’s true. The person responsible is right in front of me.

“Anyway, I’ve definitely delivered the message. Try to prevent another disaster like last time.”

With those words, Sujin Hyun turns around. Simultaneously, her body begins transforming into shadow.

“Don’t you want to come back? Once more, as a superpower user.”

I asked on the off chance.

Partly to ease the guilt of her former colleagues like Jiyoon Han.

And largely to secure a powerful ally for this increasingly rough world.

I asked with even the slimmest hope, but—

“No thanks. That doesn’t suit me anymore. And I told you. I’ll remain a bad woman until the end.”

Swish!—

With those final words, Sujin Hyun vanished without a trace.

Her presence, her magical energy—all completely erased. As if she had never been there.

She’s definitely not normal. She could just come back.

She calls herself a bad woman, but looking at her actions, she’s just a dark hero.

Thinking what a strange character she is, I walked back to the main street.

‘More importantly, Academy Attack Part 2. What a pain in the ass.’

Sujin Hyun said she didn’t know the exact timing. But she said we could predict it.

They surely won’t attack now when the buildings aren’t even completed.

The Elders will likely join forces when there’s a sufficient audience.

When the final building is completed and guests from various countries gather.

The villains, unable to escape the rules of the academy setting, will surely flock there.

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

I’ve been lacking exciting challenges lately.

The Elders might provide some thrilling gatekeeper work.

The highest level information that Sujin Hyun risked her life to obtain.

But given how significant it was, she couldn’t share it with just anyone.

When she ran into me, she seized the opportunity to pass it on.

“…Oppa. How did you find out about this information?”

The first person I informed was Rina.

The strongest person I can trust 100% in the current situation.

Almost the only force capable of fighting no matter how many Elders show up.

Anyone who knows even a little about Rina would definitely choose her.

“It’s a fragment of information you obtained when you caught The Mole.”

“What are you talking about? Even I, who caught The Mole, am hearing this for the first time.”

“No. It’s a fragment of information obtained from The Mole.”

As I repeated my answer, Rina narrowed her eyes.

She seems to have figured out what I want.

“So you want me to go along with that story when talking to others.”

“Correct.”

“Without even explaining the situation to me. You know this is extremely suspicious, right?”

“Just go with it.”

“For free?”

As expected, she wants something.

“What is it? Is it about the instructor again?”

“No, not that. It’s… ahem! Hmm! Um, adult business. One more time.”

Excuse me? Weren’t you calling me a pervert before?

Now that Soohyun isn’t here, you’re seizing the opportunity!

“Well? Is it a deal or not? Answer quickly.”

“Deal.”

I accepted immediately since I have no reason to refuse.

Rina puts her hand on her side with a strange “hehehe!” laugh.

She even mutters, “With this, I’m one ahead of Soohyun Kim!”

‘I doubt Soohyun is the type to fall behind so easily.’

Anyway, I’ve secured the most powerful force.

Now I just need to inform Jiyoon Han and the Association President.

“So when is it? When are those bastards coming? Tomorrow? The day after?”

“No.”

“Then next week? The week after? When is it? Tell me quickly.”

“I would if I knew. I don’t know exactly either.”

At my answer, Rina makes an “Ehhh?” expression of disbelief.

After all this serious talk and favors, now I’m saying I don’t know?

Her eyes are full of that sentiment, so I shrugged and said:

“If I knew the exact date, it would be suspicious information. Approximate information is more believable. Besides, the academy isn’t even completed yet, so next week is out of the question.”

“I guess you’re right. But these guys are strange. Didn’t they attack the academy before too? They didn’t accomplish anything then, so why target the academy again? Is it that easy?”

It’s not that it’s easy—they probably don’t have a choice.

They might sometimes question why they’re attacking the academy themselves.

But in the end, they’re probably being pushed by the setting of this world without realizing it.

“Ah! If that’s the case, you could have told me later! I was so excited thinking they were coming right now, my hands and feet were trembling! I thought maybe all the Elders had disappeared and died! But they’re alive and well, even coming on their own! What could be better than that!”

Watching her like this, I want to tell the Elders who will soon visit the United Academy:

Kids. If you want to live, just don’t come. Run away. There’s a crazy woman here.

…Though I might be a little disappointed if they really don’t show up.

There’s a gatekeeper secretly waiting for you too.