Chapter 185: The Angel Who Receives Observation Class (8)

Episode 185: The Angel Who Receives Observation Class (8)

A dangerous kid, a dangerous child.

Leffrey couldn’t help but tilt his head upon hearing those words.

‘Are there any students enrolled in our academy who *aren’t* dangerous?’

Why were all the students dangerous?

Let’s take, for example, this girl named Sowol in front of him, swaying her tail with a clueless expression.

Sowol’s outward appearance was that of an innocent beautiful girl with cat ears and a cat tail. But the power she possessed was anything but innocent.

Let’s imagine a situation where Sowol faced a battalion of ordinary human soldiers.

The main firepower of an ordinary human army, the 5.56mm NATO round.

A powerful bullet capable of tearing human skin and inflicting serious damage to vital organs.

But to a superhuman with a sufficiently high Strength stat and HP, it was no different from a toy bullet. A ‘mere’ 5.56mm couldn’t pierce superhuman skin, nor could it damage their internal organs.

For a superhuman capable of entering the Central Superhuman Academy, their skin’s toughness surpasses bulletproof material, and their internal muscles were no different from steel coils.

Just like Sowol.

‘They probably couldn’t even leave more than a scratch on her, even if they fired for an entire day.’

Of course, it might be a little different with grenades, grenade launchers, or recoilless rifles, but…

‘There was a video uploaded to a video-sharing site once, about the skill level of Central Academy applicants.’

It was a short video that was less than a minute long.

The content was also simple.

It just showed someone quickly dodging bullet curtains fired from machine guns positioned in all directions – up, down, left, right, north, south, east, and west.

That was all there was to the video.

‘If that’s the level of an entrance exam applicant, you think the Central Academy students would just stand there and take a slow moving grenade? ’

Thus, the answer became clear.

If Sowol were to face a battalion of ordinary soldiers, who would win. The answer was obviously Sowol’s victory.

A superhuman capable of neutralizing an entire battalion alone. Going a step further, they were living weapons that could be effectively utilized even in division-level strategic warfare.

Those were the students of the Central Academy.

That is to say, all of Central Academy’s students are…

…Subject to judgment.

“A dangerous kid, you say. Then by that logic, you are…”

That’s why Leffrey couldn’t stop himself from scoffing.

To think that the daughter of the Mooncat Tribe, a professional assassin and an outlaw who’s incredibly dangerous, would say such words.

‘No. Thinking of a junior, a child who hasn’t done anything wrong yet, to be dangerous. This is the wrong thinking.’

Suppressing the darkness stirring within him, Leffrey slowly opened his mouth.

“Why is he a dangerous kid?”

“Haven’t you heard the rumors… Senior?”

Rumors, huh.

Leffrey had heard many rumors about the other first-year students. About Sori, the Saint of the New Angel Church and a holder of many secrets. And about Sowol, the youngest of the Mooncat Tribe standing right before him, and the geniuses of various families and guilds.

But he had never heard of any rumors about Gori.

“Is it okay for me to say this. It should be fine to say it.”

Sticking close to Leffrey’s ear, Sowol began muttering in a quiet voice.

“They say he was a famous mercenary in the underworld. The kind who would do anything for money, and they say he survived after turning multiple battlefields and enemy headquarters into seas of blood.”

Leffrey recalled Gori’s face again.

Though he had a somewhat frivolous demeanor, the countless scars couldn’t be ignored.

But he was a boy with a youthful appearance and the bearing of someone who was trying to hide that youthfulness.

“For someone who was so focused on earning money and improving their skills to suddenly apply to this academy? And he even got accepted? It’s strange. This academy prohibits mercenary work.”

“Technically, it prohibits part-time jobs. And maybe he entered the academy to become even stronger through its teachings.”

“Thinking that way makes it even stranger, doesn’t it? Actually, with his skills, he could have entered the academy a long time ago. So why specifically now? That’s what I mean”

Muttering in what came off like a resigned voice, Sowol continued.

“People can’t easily change how they live. It’s strange for someone who spent their whole life taking contracts to kill people, would suddenly enter the academy saying they want to become a hero of the world.”

“…People can’t easily change how they live, huh.”

“Right. After all, life has inertia, you know? A tendency to live in the same way they’ve always lived. It’s like when my older sister suddenly stopped contacting us and decided to become a hero, it doesn’t work like that…”

Sowol muttered with a somewhat earnest expression. She was probably thinking about her sister, Hongwol.

“Anyway, it’s like that. Gori, that guy, had a reason for entering this academy. He probably received a request related to someone in the Central Academy, and entered this academy to fulfill it.”

Seeing Sowol’s expression filled with confidence, Leffrey could only manage another bitter smile.

“Just like you?”

“Pardon?”

“You also entered the Central Academy for a reason. Not because you were interested in being a hero or anything.”

His own words sounded cold even to Leffrey’s ears. But he couldn’t stop the words that kept spilling out.

After all, life had inertia.

“…Do you think you can take Wol away?”

It was a rather loaded statement.

And Sowol couldn’t answer it easily.

And the girl took another step away from the boy.

“Tsk.”

Looking at Sowol who had stepped back, Leffrey spoke with an expression devoid of any emotion.

“Anyway, thank you. I’ll keep that warning in mind.”

“Eek. I, I’m not just saying this for no reason.”

Sowol started to use informal language again.

She had probably realized that there was no point in being polite to Leffrey anymore.

“We Mooncats have good intuition. And my intuition is telling me that Gori is really dangerous!”

“Yeah.”

But Leffrey ignored Sowol’s outcry and started walking away.

“Fine, I’ve warned you. I really did!”

* * *

Thus, Leffrey arrived at the first-year Swordsmanship Department dormitory.

“It’s Senior Leffrey.”

“That famous senior?”

“The one who had that big fight with the student council?”

The first-year students started murmuring amongst themselves. Each of them sharing what they knew about Leffrey, bit by bit. The ratio of what those words were about could be roughly summarized as…

“They’re really pret- no, handsome, just like the rumors.”

“Hmph, what kind of man looks like that. He’s a total pretty boy.”

“Please marry me, Leffrey sunbae-nim!”

“That bitch, she’s crossing the line.”

About 30% of them talked about his appearance.

“Wasn’t he the winner of the Blessing of the Spirits? I think he won with some weird pudding.”

“Should I ask for the recipe?”

“And he even stopped that terrorist attack in Old Seoul. There was a huge article about that.”

“What else was there. I heard he was also involved in the New Truth Church turning into the New Angel Church.”

“Nonsense. How can such a huge cult change because of one person?”

Another 30% talked about Leffrey’s achievements.

“He looks really weak, but there are no openings.”

“…Despite his gentle looks, there’s a distinct killing intent emanating from him. Must be proof that he’s seen some shit.”

“He’s a swordsman personally looked after by the Sword Saint Park Jin-ho. Of course, he’d have skills.”

“I’d like to spar with him once.”

Another 30% spoke of Leffrey’s skill.

And lastly…

“So that’s Leffrey, our target”

“That’s the living indulgence, the Key to Heaven, the one who can absolve our guild master of his sins, the one who can lead us to Heaven.”

“For Mother, we must bring him.”

“…I will make sure to accomplish it.”

Juniors whose eyes shone with somewhat different purposes.

And among that shady group, one boy raised the corner of his mouth as if amused.

“I can’t believe you would really come here.”

A small scar on the corner of his lips.

Another on his left eye.

And a long one on his right cheek.

The existence that strangely instills fear in the other students, Gori, pushes through the juniors and steps forward.

“Hey, could you all get out of the way?”

Even the kids from noble families with strong pride, even the kids praised as geniuses and called the future of their region or nation…

They all flinch at the faint killing intent Gori exudes and made way.

“Such a vulgar bastard…”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

Of course, there were a few who weren’t scared of Gori and showed their hostility. But Gori lightly ignored their hostility and pushed them aside.

“Don’t push me. You stray mutt.”

“You want to get bitten by this stray mutt? If you’re so upset, then let’s go one-on-one right here, right now. Unless you don’t want to be able to show your face around here any more starting tomorrow, keep acting like that.”

The ones who flinched and backed down were always the young masters. Thus, pushing aside all the students, Gori finally stood at the very front.

“Senior, you really came?”

“Then what. Was it a joke invitation?”

Gori scratched his head with a sly smile.

“Hmm, it’s gotten worse. You’ve now reached a level where your killing intent is constantly leaking out even when you’re not doing anything”

“…Ugh, right.”

Then, he casually placed his hand on Leffrey’s chest.

“It’s cold. Your heart will really freeze at this rate.”

“You, do you really know how to stop this?”

Gori subtly looked down at Leffrey.

Leffrey’s pitiful expression. Seeing that senior, who could be mistaken for a girl, looking so heartbroken…

…Gori couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from rising at that cuteness.

“You, are you smiling?”

“You’ve gotten sharper. And colder too. I’m not sure if you’re really the same senior who apologized to me last time.”

Gori shook his head at the sight of the angry Leffrey.

“Let’s borrow a training room and talk there. This isn’t the kind of conversation that others should hear.”

“…Fine.”

And so Gori skillfully pulled Leffrey toward a training hall.

Leffrey had no choice but to be pulled along.

* * *

The two arrived at the training hall.

Gori naturally made the sparring ground invisible, then sat down in a chair he’d gotten from somewhere and spoke as if it was no big deal.

“A killing intent rampage. Actually, the solution to this kind of rampage is really simple.”

“How?”

“Senior just needs to kill the person you harbor that killing intent towards.”

It was said in a tone as if he was greeting someone during lunch and asking ‘Have you eaten?’

When Leffrey didn’t respond to this ‘easy’ answer…

“Didn’t you hear me? I said you have to kill that person.”

“I heard you. It’s obvious. But murder is…”

“Murder is?”

Gori tilted his head with a somewhat sly attitude.

Leffrey, suppressing his anger at that attitude, regretted his decision.

‘Why is this kid stating the obvious. Does he think I’m asking because I don’t know that?’

Kill, and everything would be resolved.

However.

To kill is to make everything irreversible.

‘You’ve already decided to kill. Why are you still wavering?’

Whose voice is this, I wonder.

One thing was certain. It was a voice similar to Leffrey’s.

‘But if there was any other way.’

‘Do you think there’s another way? In this filthy world, in this world that deserves judgment. Do you think there’s any other method to deal with sinners but judgment, but execution?’

No more mercy.

Only judgment now.

All sinners must pay the appropriate price for their sins and descend into hell.

Passing judgment is not falling.

Rather, it is the current corrupted self returning to its original form.

Someone resembling Leffrey shouted from within his heart. But.

He thought of a grey-haired magical girl who whined about how hard it is to wake up in the morning, a pink-haired girl who sometimes secretly transforms into a cat because she likes being pampered.

And a certain girl who always hid her tears behind a mask.

‘Still, if there was another way, it would be really nice.’

The boy who didn’t even know what he wanted himself said to the boy who seemed to know the answer.

“I shouldn’t have trusted you. I’ll be going now.”

“Whoa, you’re in a hurry. There is another way, besides killing.”

“Another way?”

Leffrey looked at Gori again.

Leffrey was left speechless at Gori’s confident expression.

‘Does he really, really know something when he speaks like that?’

“Want to hear it?”