Ch.219Episode 41. Things That Need to Be Made Clear (1)

The second semester had begun.

I was about to start my academy life, no different from usual.

…No. I was trying to start it.

“Can someone explain why I’m here?”

However, I found myself standing in front of the Association, not in the classroom.

“It’s to give you experience before your hero debut.”

“Oppa came out for field training because he was thinking of us.”

Neither of those is correct.

I covered my face with my hands.

I thought the second semester would be comfortable since two members of the special class would be out for field training.

But these two showed me just how naive that thinking was.

“Seriously… how can you think about defeating a senior hero on your first day?”

I thought they had reformed quite a bit.

Their attitudes had indeed changed significantly.

From how they treated teachers and instructors to their daily conduct, considerable improvements had been made.

Having observed them for over a year, I was confident they wouldn’t cause trouble.

But today I realized that was just an illusion.

These kids haven’t changed their personalities. They were just being careful around me.

This is why they’d make good villains. Damn troublemakers.

“Damn it…”

[Keep your promise? Heh heh.]

I can still hear the Association President’s mocking voice when he called me.

I feel dizzy.

I don’t know if they’re trying to give me a headache from day one, just like when I first met them.

“This hero said he’d call Instructor Yujin if we didn’t listen to him. So we didn’t listen.”

Yeon Muhui points at the hero standing next to me. I gave her a strange look as she spoke with a blank expression and nonchalant tone.

What kind of nerve does she have to say something like that?

Ah~ Is she saying she wants a knock on the head? Is that it?

I spent a long time contemplating whether I should blow on my fist or not.

“You… do you enjoy getting scolded? Perhaps you have that kind of preference…”

“I do not!”

Muhui shouted, flushing with anger. For a moment, I thought she was about to declare herself a masochist.

“I prefer being praised rather than scolded.”

Yu Ari, who had been listening beside us, chimed in. I crossed my arms and sighed, looking back and forth between the two.

“Then why didn’t you listen to the senior hero?”

I glanced at the hero who was listening nearby.

He couldn’t take his eyes off me. It seemed like he was looking at me with admiration.

“I just sparred with that person, that’s all.”

Muhui pointed at the senior hero, speaking casually as if she’d done nothing wrong.

“Who won?”

“I did.”

“Well done, then.”

You shouldn’t lose to anyone except me until you can beat Yeonhwaryong. Yeah.

“Hero Yujin?!”

“Ah… I was just so happy to see my disciple’s progress… I apologize.”

As I was awkwardly smiling and trying to smooth things over, Ari stepped between me and the senior hero.

“Your name is Kim Junghyun, right?”

“Huh? Y-yes…”

“Fight me too.”

Ari said, drawing her dagger. I grabbed her collar and pulled her back.

“What kind of competition are you in?”

It’s not even the full special class, just two third-year students, yet it’s so exhausting.

How did I manage academy life with these kids until now?

“Besides, I may not look it, but I’m a busy person. It’s troublesome when you call me out like this.”

“You only have one lecture.”

“I may only have one lecture, but as a top-ranked hero, I need to patrol the area and respond to villain incidents when requests come in.”

For reference, after becoming rank 1, I was tasked with patrolling all of Seoul with Ha Yuri on days when I didn’t have lectures.

You have no idea how inconvenient it is to have these extra chores.

“You don’t have anything right now.”

“True, but I’m saying it’s troublesome when you cause problems like this.”

It’s not like I’m their guardian or something.

I’m willing to act as their guardian in reasonable situations, but this approach was problematic.

“See those reporters over there? The ones taking pictures from a distance, eager to interview me.”

I pointed at the reporters aiming their long cameras from outside the Association.

Thinking about it again, they really have no consideration or shame, intruding on others’ privacy like that.

Even if it’s their job to write articles, whenever I see that, I can’t help but think of them as vultures.

“Oppa, you’re quite popular.”

“You’re starting to resemble Gu Yeonhwa, you know?”

“What? Of all people, why her…!”

Your words are no different from hers, you know.

“Should I take care of them all?”

“What are you, an assassin?”

“I do have assassination-type characteristics.”

“Never mind that. I just came to give you a warning today. Listen to the senior hero and adapt well to get used to the field.”

“I still have more to learn from Yujin.”

“I think I still have things to learn from you too, Oppa.”

Ari agrees with Muhui.

I never expected these two, who rarely even talk to each other, to share the same opinion. I guess they really want to do field training with me.

What should I do?

“I’ve already taught you most things.”

“We haven’t learned field training from you, Oppa.”

What is there to learn…

It’s just about subduing villains and rescuing civilians, like in the certification exam. As long as they understand the manual and laws to some extent, there shouldn’t be any problems.

“I apologize. It seems I said something unnecessary.”

The person who should be watching his step is confident, while the person who doesn’t need to be careful is apologizing. Is this okay?

“It’s fine.”

I patted Muhui and Ari on their heads. They quietly accepted as I messed up their hair.

“Just for today, okay? Don’t do this again next time. Understood?”

At my words, their expressions visibly brightened.

“I’ll accompany you just for today, though it can’t be helped. I’ll try not to be a burden.”

“Ah, no! Not at all! Especially since it’s you, Hero Yujin.”

Kim Junghyun waved his hands, repeatedly saying it was fine.

“By the way, your skill in handling these troublemakers who will become future heroes is quite impressive. As expected of the rank 1.”

Being rank 1 has made me more noticeable to others, but seeing how I can get a free pass in situations like this, the position of rank 1 isn’t all bad.

“They’re just twisted kids.”

“No, we’re not.”

“No, we’re not.”

They’re only in sync at times like this.

Seeing the two of them confidently denying it, I was so dumbfounded that I let it go in one ear and out the other.

“Well then, shall we go?”

* * *

Today’s field training focused on patrol.

The plan seemed to be for me to watch as they subdued villains with the senior hero while on patrol.

I heard that these two saved Kim Soyang during the all-out war with Akcheon.

Since they could even subdue Akcheon-affiliated villains, most villains wouldn’t stand a chance against them.

However, if there was one concern…

CRASH!

While walking down a Seoul street, someone smashed through a bank’s glass window and came out.

Should I call it a cliché?

Or a characteristic of this world?

I really wonder where these villains keep coming from—they’re everywhere. Such events are necessary in hero stories, but it was getting a bit predictable.

I was about to react instinctively when I looked at the two behind me.

“There’s a villain. Go catch him.”

“Any specific instructions?”

Ari asked, drawing her dagger.

“Just don’t kill him.”

“Understood.”

Muhui was about to draw her sword but put it back and grabbed it with the scabbard still on. She seemed to plan on beating the villain rather than cutting him, which could be fatal.

The two glanced at each other briefly before dashing forward competitively.

While running, Muhui accelerated once more. She had used Yeonhwa Ilseom.

Approaching the robber in an instant, Muhui swung her sword forcefully.

WHAM!

The robber’s face contorted as it was struck by the scabbard, and he fell onto the asphalt. Despite receiving an impact strong enough to crack the asphalt, the man didn’t lose consciousness.

It seemed to be a defense-type ability.

“…?”

The robber raised his upper body, clenched his fist, and swung at Muhui. Just as she was about to counterattack…

THUD!

“Kuhak!”

Ari landed on the man’s abdomen, stomping it hard. She twirled the dagger in her hand and stabbed it into his palm.

The dagger sank deep into his palm and only stopped when it hit the asphalt beneath.

“Stay still. Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to kill you.”

Is she a hero or a villain?

This is why people talk about excessive force.

Creating fear isn’t bad, but it becomes a problem when it affects civilians too.

But they were doing this training to identify and fix such issues, so it was fine for now. It would be problematic if they continued like this after the training, though.

“Hmm… not bad at all.”

Kim Junghyun was stroking his chin in admiration.

“Let’s clean this up first. People are gathering around.”

“Ah, right.”

The villain tried to resist as we confiscated the money he had stolen from the bank.

“No! My money…!”

“‘My money,’ he says. You’re a criminal who stole from a bank.”

Villains are always so good at rationalizing their crimes.

Well, I suppose I am too.

“Yujin.”

“Yes?”

Muhui called me while looking at her sword.

“This guy… he blocked my attack but Ari’s attack worked. Does that mean… I’m weak?”

“No.”

Since Muhui’s strike didn’t work but Ari’s stab did, it seemed like the villain could only defend specific areas.

In other words, it was an inferior version of hardening or steel transformation.

After I explained this, she seemed to understand, but she was still frowning as if unsatisfied.

“What’s wrong?”

“If I can’t penetrate even this trash’s defense… can I really beat that person?”

“You can. Don’t you trust me?”

“I trust Yujin’s words, but… still…”

“It’s okay. No matter what anyone says, you’re the disciple of the rank 1 hero.”

Muhui was about to say something but stopped.

She closed her mouth and gave a faint smile.

Suddenly feeling a gaze, I turned my head to find Ari staring at me intently, her eyes narrowed.

“What’s wrong, Ari?”

“…Nothing. Nothing at all.”

It was an answer unlike her. As I was looking at Ari in confusion, the sound of sirens began to approach from the distance.