Ch.198Academy’s Silver Gatekeeper – 1

The world had changed. Monsters grew stronger and gates multiplied like mushrooms.

Everyone was swept up in these changes. And among them were villains.

“This can’t continue. If they unite like this, we’re finished.”

Though the stated purpose was to share know-how among ability users from different countries to raise standards across the board.

They knew that within it would also be effective methods to subdue villains.

One of the instructors at the United Academy was “Rina Lee,” a specialist against The Elder.

If they just stood by and watched, they would be swept away.

They who had terrorized the world just a year ago.

Already being pushed around by monsters, and now ability users were getting stronger too?

That much they had to prevent. If they couldn’t stop it completely, they needed to delay it.

With luck, this opportunity might once again instill fear of villains.

And further, it might become an opportunity to inject new blood.

“You can’t do it alone. If there’s trouble to cause, we should join in.”

“We’ve been ignored because of all this talk about civil war and whatnot, right?”

“We need to show them. That monsters aren’t the only things they should fear.”

The Elders, who had just finished their civil war, gladly joined in.

Although their numbers had decreased compared to before, they had grown stronger with each victory, with each survival.

Moreover, this goal wasn’t something difficult and grand like killing an S-rank.

It was simply dropping a massive bomb between those trying to unite.

Something that villains had been doing routinely until now.

“When we start, kill as many American officials as possible. For the Chinese and Russians, inflict serious wounds but not enough to kill. Later, they’ll argue about whose losses were greater.”

“We need to show them that there’s no such thing as a completely safe educational institution as they claim. We need to make them tear each other apart instead of uniting!”

The purpose this time was to divide a world that had just managed to come together.

It wasn’t difficult. Thus, the villains’ plan proceeded smoothly without a hitch.

And fortunately, they found a way to infiltrate the United Academy’s completion ceremony.

The first day would have extremely tight security, so they avoided that.

Instead, they decided to hold their prepared “party” on the second day when security would be relatively relaxed.

The Elders would handle the S-ranks, while the remaining villains would harm everyone else.

The newly constructed building would be covered in flames and people’s blood.

To maintain not only anger and hatred toward them but also continued fear.

So that those who didn’t want to mix with society, those similar to themselves, could find them!

They needed to show that the flames of hatred for this world would continue to burn!

And finally, when the second day came, they immediately took action.

They blended into the crowd, entered, checked their personnel at a secret location, and confirmed the plan.

They decided to attack where the ceremony participants would gather.

“Let’s go!!”

“Crush them all!!”

Those who enjoyed indiscriminate violence against the weak as the strong.

For villains, terrorism like today was truly enjoyable.

It was in moments like these, in actions like these, that they felt alive!

Shortly after, when they reached the crowded area, the villains immediately deployed their magical power.

As if sensing something ominous, everyone was gathered in one place quite nicely.

“Stupid cowards! Hey! Everyone…”

Splat!―

The face of the action team member who was leading the way was completely crushed.

The attack was executed so cleanly. There wasn’t even time to react.

At this sudden event, the charging villains looked around again at where the crowd had gathered.

– Welcome to the World United Academy, we sincerely welcome you all. –

Under the welcoming banner, crowds of people were standing.

The scene was almost no different from yesterday, the first day of the completion ceremony.

However, if there was just one thing, truly only one thing different:

Those gathered there weren’t mostly civilians like yesterday.

“Oh! Welcome, villain friends! We’ve been waiting for you! Hahaha!!”

Led by Hyunwoo Lee, who had just smashed the villain’s face with excitement pounding in his chest.

“Is that Korean ability user actually a villain?”

“Looking at what he does, he seems like a relative of The Yellow Madwoman.”

“They’re completely different races, idiot.”

“That’s a racially discriminatory remark.”

Ability users gathered from Korea and countries around the world were each standing by.

Thanks to this, the villains turned around in panic.

“What is this…?”

“Damn it! It’s a trap! Hey, let’s get out of here!”

They might have had a chance with a surprise attack, but in a head-on fight, their odds were low.

Moreover, these villains had no reason to fight desperately.

It was natural for them to turn around and flee when the situation became unfavorable.

On the other hand, the ability users who had gathered to inflict maximum damage on the villains.

They each emitted bright magical power and immediately rushed toward the villains.

“Oh. Seniors. They’re running away, what should we do?”

“What do you mean? We catch them! Let’s go, junior!”

“Oh, yes! Understood! Ah, Senior Dasom Yoo. You need to be careful!”

Meanwhile, whether unknowingly or deliberately.

After Hyunwoo Lee’s surprise attack, Dasom Yoo unconsciously clutched her chest.

‘Really, that person! He was so indifferent when confessing, but why is he so sweet at times like this!’

In the end, Dasom Yoo shouted, “Be quiet!”

With her face flushed red from embarrassment.

“Sigh.”

Hana Kang sighed softly as she watched.

How did her sister, who was so close to her, fall for such a man?

He wasn’t an exceptional beauty like Seojin Baek, nor did he have any extraordinary charm.

She suddenly thought that a person’s heart was truly difficult to understand.

‘Wait a minute. Come to think of it?’

Except for Hana Kang herself, all the other team members were in relationships.

Only she was active on the singles front.

Thinking that she should quickly find a boyfriend out of envy if nothing else!

She, who would one day become the clan master of the Magic Tower Clan, unleashed her specialty, ice-based magic.

Crash!―

“Aaaaah!!”

On one side, some villains had already turned to ashes scattering in the wind.

If not turned to ashes, they became well-burning kindling.

Or they became ghosts under merciless, cruel sword strikes.

“Hoo―”

At the center of the massive flames stood a woman drenched in blood and fire.

Holding a burning red sword, Soohyun Kim wore an expression that was chilling just to look at.

‘A place where I could get closer to the examiner. Why do these bugs come here?’

She knew that Minseong Kang had invested an enormous amount of money for her.

She wanted to do her best to live up to her grandfather’s help.

How angry she was when villains suddenly appeared at such an important place.

By now, Seojin Baek would be facing not ordinary villains but “The Elder.”

Moreover, Rina would be nearby fighting other Elders.

However, Soohyun Kim herself couldn’t approach that place.

Although she had reached A-rank, she still hadn’t reached S-rank.

Perhaps it was only natural that she was facing villains rather than Elders.

“It’s okay, Soohyun. Your role is actually more important. Elders might stay and fight, but villains won’t.”

“Examiner Seojin Baek is right, Soohyun. If we don’t catch the fleeing villains, they’ll return later as more troublesome entities.”

Both Seojin Baek and Minseong Kang encouraged her, saying that was an impressive task in itself.

They said it was important enough and she should just do her best.

But Soohyun Kim was very uncomfortable not being by Seojin Baek’s side.

‘Kill them. Kill them all. Without leaving any, burn them all to death, cut them all to death.’

Whoosh!―

And that feeling became an even more cruel flame, turning the villains into sparks.

“Aaaah!”

“Gaaah!”

“Ahaha! Aaaah!! This is it! Real combat, real combat. Real! Real combat!!”

The villains who had proudly planned to attack the United Academy.

But they were all thoroughly crushed by the ability users who were waiting.

Starting with Hyunwoo Lee and Soohyun Kim at the very front.

And this tragedy was not something that even the Elders could avoid.

“Kuhuk! Kuk! Kuheuk!”

“Hey. What were you thinking coming all the way to Korea looking for something to eat.”

A woman stepping on the upper body of one of the Elders, a masked man, with a bright smile.

Her identity was obviously Rina Lee, and the other Elders were looking at her with disgusted expressions.

“Crazy bitch.”

“Yes. I’m crazy. So what have you contributed?”

It’s frightening how calmly she responds to being called crazy.

“Hey, you guys are screwed now. You know? My brother prepared everything and invited you, and you happily came. You should have just lived quietly like mafia in your home countries, why did you do this?”

Crack―

“Kuhup!”

The masked man’s waist twisted in a bizarre direction.

Even for an Elder, a spinal fracture was a fatal wound.

Soon after, he fainted with his eyes rolling back.

“Bastard. Making such a fuss over a broken back.”

The Elders wanted to ask where exactly she saw someone making a fuss over a broken back.

Meanwhile, Rina carefully counted the remaining Elders.

“One, two, three. Hmm. Only three left.”

Originally there weren’t three but six. And those three happened to go after Seojin Baek.

The current Seojin Baek could handle one or even two Elders without much difficulty.

But three was different. Even Seojin Baek would struggle against three Elders.

‘I’ll finish this quickly and go save you, Brother Seojin. I’ll show that Soohyun Kim just how different a woman I am! Heeheeheehee!!’

The Elders had suddenly become sacrifices for a princess rescuing a prince in crisis, rather than being the world’s calamity.