Ch.2Episode 1. I Became an Academy Instructor. (2)

It’s a relaxed night.

A life where you don’t struggle for money even without working isn’t bad at all. Of course, it’s not really my money, but still.

As I brew coffee and look at the calendar, I can’t help but sigh.

“It’s been three months already?”

It’s been three months since I was transported into the novel I had been reading, “Heroes Never Bend!”

I left an angry comment on a hastily concluded novel, and someone replied, “Why don’t you try making an ending yourself?” Next thing I knew, I was here.

The character I possessed is known as Yujin in this world, the final boss of Akcheon called “Brain God.”

According to the original story, Yujin was supposed to replace the executives with a new generation. However, since I possessed Yujin, the flow of the story has changed.

The biggest reason for this change was probably that a few days ago, I beat up the Akcheon members who came to scout me and sent them to the police station.

As a bonus, I was making good use of the 1 billion won they brought as a recruitment fee. Mostly on delivery food.

Anyway, starting this year, Akcheon would begin enticing hero candidates attending the academy and expanding their organization.

Among those hero candidates, five were particularly dangerous. I needed to keep a close eye on them.

If those kids joined Akcheon, South Korea would become an anarchic nation overrun by villains.

Now, one might wonder: if I know this, why not just eliminate them?

The reason is that their joining Akcheon isn’t entirely voluntary.

Despite their difficult personalities, they all end up making the wrong choices after being manipulated by those around them.

I planned to prevent that.

Their abilities could greatly benefit this world, so if I could just keep them from joining Akcheon, they would surely become a great force for good.

However, if they still insisted on joining Akcheon despite my warnings, I wouldn’t hesitate to kill them.

That was the extent of my mercy.

I sipped my coffee and pulled back the curtain. The moon hung in the sky.

“It’s been a week already, hasn’t it?”

It had been a week since I handed over Gongsang-i. It seemed like a good time to check in. By now, they should have found out everything they could.

I’m not expecting much. Villains think differently from ordinary criminals, so interrogating them wouldn’t be easy.

Clack.

I set my cup down on the coffee table. Half of the coffee remained.

I put on the black plastic mask and oversized hoodie that I had tossed onto the sofa. I don’t forget to pull up the hood.

Crackle.

As I release my electric power, sparks fly.

I open the balcony window and stand on the railing.

“Well, let’s go.”

* * *

“Sigh, that damn bastard wouldn’t say a word till the end. I don’t know what to tell Brain God.”

The association chairman I met a week ago emerges from what looks like at least a 40-story building. He’s muttering something while looking at the ground.

I approach him from behind as he enters the parking lot.

“Heading home now?”

“Eek! You startled me!”

The chairman jumps back about 5 meters away from me.

“Why do you appear so suddenly?”

“I didn’t appear suddenly. I was waiting.”

I replied calmly with my arms crossed. Since we didn’t arrange where to meet when we parted, I had no choice but to come find him.

“Let’s go somewhere quiet. It’s not appropriate to talk here.”

“Would you like to take my car?”

“…I’ll sit in the back seat.”

“Very well.”

I got into Sung In-hyuk’s car parked in the lot.

Even though I didn’t specify a destination, he started driving on his own. After about an hour, we arrived at the outskirts of Nowon District in Seoul, in front of Aegis Academy.

“I see the academy. Did you bring me here on purpose?”

“The outskirts of Seoul are quiet due to fewer people, and since you seem interested in the academy, I thought I’d try to persuade you here.”

“I see.”

The conversation briefly paused. I could see the chairman’s eyes on me through the rearview mirror, as if inviting me to ask questions.

“…So, did you get anything out of Gongsang-i?”

“Unfortunately not. He wouldn’t break no matter how much pressure we applied.”

“Is that so.”

Maybe I should have beaten him up myself?

Even though I’ve read “Heroes Never Bend!”, the novel this world is based on, I don’t know much about the movements of Akcheon’s executives before the generational change.

The novel only started describing Akcheon in detail when they began recruiting academy students, so the information I have isn’t helpful in the current situation.

“Well, I didn’t expect much anyway. Though I wonder if I should have roughed him up more before handing him over.”

“He might have died if you did that, so please don’t.”

He gave a bitter smile as he dissuaded me.

“By the way, have you thought about my proposal?”

“Before that, promise me one thing.”

I held up my index finger.

“What is it?”

“Only you, the association chairman, should know about my identity. If anyone else finds out, I might destroy the association and join Akcheon instead.”

“…That sounds rather threatening.”

“If you promise this, I’ll promise to completely eradicate Akcheon, the organization that massacred your family, from South Korea.”

“How did you know about that…?”

Sung In-hyuk turned sharply and asked.

Akcheon had killed all of the chairman’s relatives as a warning to the association. His wife, son, parents, siblings—all of them, without exception.

The absurd reason was simply because Sung In-hyuk had become the chairman of the association.

“Don’t underestimate my intelligence network.”

I couldn’t tell him I’d read it in a novel, so I deflected. He stared intently at my mask with a complicated expression.

“So, can you promise?”

“…Why are you so intent on hiding? With your power, you could immediately become a top-class hero. Is there something you’re ashamed of?”

“I have many enemies. Others might get hurt because of me.”

“But won’t villains find out anyway once you use your abilities?”

“Then I should avoid using my abilities as much as possible.”

“…So you’re saying you don’t mind if people find out through no fault of mine?”

Somehow I feel like I’m being led on.

“That’s right.”

“Good. Then take off your mask and give me your ID.”

I removed the mask I hadn’t taken off in front of others for a month, and pulled back my hood. My black hair fluttered, revealing my bare face. Then I took out my ID from my wallet and showed it to him.

“…You’re handsome.”

He quietly admired as he compared my ID with my face.

“Your name is Yujin… 25 years old. Young too. You must be popular.”

He took out a laptop from his bag in the passenger seat and began entering my information.

“Please don’t flirt with the students too much when you become an academy instructor.”

Does “don’t flirt too much” mean a little is okay?

“I have no such intentions, so don’t worry.”

It’s not like I’m going to the academy for romance.

Of course, even I can see that I’m handsome. Not to brag, but objectively speaking.

Befitting a final boss, I have sharp features that might make me look like a thug at first glance, but my facial features are distinct and perfectly balanced.

“You’ll be officially registered on the hero list. The hero license is a nationally recognized certification, so that’s unavoidable. But I’ll make sure your personal information isn’t exposed.”

“Understood.”

“Please fill out this form as well.”

He handed me a personal information form. It was a document for filling in necessary information like name, age, address, email, etc.

“…Can I skip what I don’t know?”

“Is there something you don’t know?”

“Yes, well…”

“Then just write what you do know.”

As I filled out the form with my basic information, I voiced a question that suddenly occurred to me.

“By the way, why do you trust me?”

“…I wouldn’t say I trust you exactly. I’m just placing my hopes on someone who managed to capture dozens of Akcheon villains in a month, when we couldn’t catch them before.”

Isn’t that basically trust?

“Hmm…”

“Besides, when someone as strong as Yujin becomes a hero, villains will inevitably be intimidated, so as the association chairman, I have no reason to leave you alone.”

Even so, what makes him trust me? I could have betrayed my organization to gain the association’s trust. He’s quite naive.

“I see.”

I calmly replied and handed him the completed form. He looked at it while typing on his laptop, and shortly after, closed the screen. He turned and returned my ID.

“I’ve uploaded it to the system. I’ll issue the hero license separately. Please come to the association around the end of February.”

“Understood.”

I sensed through our conversation that our business was concluded. I put my mask and hood back on and opened the car door.

“Well, since we’re done, I’ll be going now.”

“Are you sure you don’t want a ride?”

“Running is faster. Goodbye.”

Just before closing the door, I stuck my head back into the car.

“By the way, how did you know I was at the abandoned factory?”

“I’ve been keeping an eye on Akcheon all this time. Then someone appeared who seemed fixated on capturing only Akcheon members. How could I not be interested?”

“…I see.”

Did information leak without my knowledge?

Thinking about it, I captured dozens of villains in a month, so it would be stranger if information hadn’t leaked. Even the name “Brain God” was created during that month.

“Ah, and when you become an academy teacher…”

“Yes?”

“I’d like you to take charge of the special class at the academy—the one with the most problematic… no, the most gifted students.”

From problematic to gifted? And a special class?

The term sounded oddly familiar. Wait, could it be…

“Each one has exceptional talent, to the point where even their instructors can’t handle them. But someone like you, who can take down S-class villains, should be able to manage those kids.”

Become their instructor?

While it was an ideal position for surveillance, knowing their troublesome personalities, I could already feel a headache coming on.

“…You don’t need to give me a position. I have personal business at the academy anyway.”

“I’d like to utilize your strength if possible. It would be perfect if those geniuses could safely become heroes and protect South Korea’s public safety.”

I agreed with that part.

After all, the reason I’m going to the academy is to prevent them from joining Akcheon. But being their homeroom teacher? I really don’t want that.

“Of course, as an academy instructor, you’ll be well-paid. And you’ll receive compensation for your hero activities too. You won’t have any financial difficulties.”

“No, I mean…”

“I look forward to working with you.”

He smiles like a sly fox and extends his hand to me. Just as I’m using the chairman’s authority, he intends to use me too.

Perhaps this straightforwardness is better than scheming behind my back.

I swallowed a sigh and shook his hand.

* * *

March.

It was the time when not just the academy, but all schools—elementary, middle, high, and universities—began their new terms. And it was the starting point of the story.

As I was about to enter the school gate, determined to do my job properly since I’d taken it on…

Someone entered the gate almost simultaneously beside me.

Before I noticed her face, my eyes were drawn to the white butterfly ribbon in the center of her black frilled dress that spread widely to the left and right. Under her skirt, she wore fishnet stockings and flat shoes. I couldn’t help but sigh.

I wanted to believe it was just cosplay, but this wasn’t the Seoul Comic Convention—it was Aegis Academy, where students wore proper uniforms.

And as far as I knew, only one person would dress like this in a place like this.

“Huhuhu, so this is it. The place where I shall operate from now on.”

She creates a black sphere while spouting cringe-worthy lines. Sparks fly like solar flares, causing students to stop in their tracks. They all felt threatened by the sudden use of ability.

“Ah~ Like the sun high in the sky, my darkness is so bright that it blinds everyone! All of you, kneel before my darkness!”

Wow, how embarrassing…!

It’s not even me doing it, so why am I embarrassed?

“You there, handsome man!”

She suddenly points at me. All eyes turn to me. Great, starting like this from day one.

“You seem very interested in my darkness. Huhuhu!”

No, I’m not interested at all.

“But don’t get too absorbed! You’ll spend an eternity in the murky flames of my darkness!”

As I was listening to this utterly pointless speech, academy security guards were rushing toward us.

Though they were low-ranking heroes, they were still overwhelmingly stronger than ordinary police officers.

“We’ve encountered a suspected villain!”

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Huhuhu, if you’re asking about me, I shall gladly introduce myself! I am Dark Wizard Magician! The great magician who will rule this academy from this moment—Oof!”

Without hesitation, I flicked the chuunibyou girl’s forehead. The security guards looked dumbfounded at my action.

The girl rubbed her forehead with a tearful expression. She looked up at me resentfully with tears in her eyes.

She was less than 160cm tall, making her somewhat short, but her exotic appearance with blonde hair and blue eyes, combined with her round face and cute features, made her proportions just right.

She looked like someone who could be quite popular if she just behaved normally.

“W-what are you doing?! A man who lays hands on a woman is the worst! Is being handsome all that matters to you?!”

Was it my imagination that my head was already starting to throb?

Please, someone tell me it’s just my imagination.

“…Koo Yeon-hwa, not wearing proper uniform. 15 penalty points.”