Chapter 38: Benefactor

Wearing Shin-woo’s artifacts made me feel lighter.

They were all excellent, but the necklace, gleaming around my neck, particularly caught my eye.

‘I can’t die after receiving such a gift.’

Though a fight with the principal wasn’t guaranteed, I was preparing for a death match.

It would be embarrassing to go to such lengths and have nothing happen.

‘Not that I want to be attacked.’

A peaceful resolution was ideal.

Fighting someone at the peak of the Transcendent Realm? That was too much for me right now.

Antagonizing Jin Baek-ho would make my life in Korea difficult.

He was practically a national symbol.

Connections, power, family background – he had it all.

And with his virtuous character, he was unlikely to provoke me.

‘But why did he summon me?’

My anxiety grew with each step closer to the principal’s office.

But I maintained a calm facade.

Showing my apprehension wouldn’t benefit me.

As I reached his door, before I could even knock, a voice called out from within.

“Come in, Yu-won.”

He knew I was there without me making a sound.

His senses were sharp, extending beyond his office.

‘Like someone preparing for a fight.’

I couldn’t turn back now.

I discarded my pretense of calm, heightened my senses, and opened the door.

An overwhelming wave of killing intent washed over me.

How many people had he killed? Not as many as me at my peak, second only to the Heavenly Demon among demons, but comparable to the Sword Demon.

Whether his victims were good or evil, I didn’t know.

But right now, what mattered was that he was a killer, and his killing intent was directed at me.

I had to dispel this oppressive aura. During Ymir’s trial, I’d momentarily regained the power of my Transcendent Realm self.

And that sensation remained etched in my memory.

I couldn’t access that level of power now.

‘But killing intent… that I can manage.’

With my superhuman mental strength, I could briefly channel it.

The killing intent of a Transcendent Realm Kim Yu-won erupted from me, overwhelming and suppressing Jin Baek-ho’s aura.

‘I hope this makes him reconsider.’

It was a bluff, but a convincing one.

He must feel like a predator was staring him down, ready to strike.

He lowered his guard, no longer resisting my killing intent.

‘It worked.’

It was fortunate he was facing the wall of the Transcendent Realm.

If he weren’t strong enough to sense my level, he might have attacked.

Jin Baek-ho began to speak, and I listened intently.

‘Let’s hear what he has to say.’

“So… it was you, my benefactor…!”

‘What?’

This made no sense.

I’d never met Jin Baek-ho in the 17 years since my reincarnation, and in my first life, I’d had no dealings with Hunters.

There was no way I could have been his benefactor.

“You vanished after defeating an SS-rank boss monster 100 years ago, and now you’ve reappeared. I wasn’t certain until now. The ink-black lightning, the practical combat style… they resembled my benefactor, but you look younger than you did 100 years ago.”

He was referring to Ink Lightning Divine Art and Blood Sky Dance.

But other techniques involved ink-black lightning and a practical combat style, so I listened.

“I should have suspected when I saw you were 137 years old, but the battle today, your control over ice and the giant’s submission… confirmed it. You are my benefactor, Kim Yu-won. I apologize for testing you with my killing intent.”

He bowed his head.

But his gesture was overshadowed by his words.

He knew my age, perhaps through some Status Window-reading skill.

But the ink-black lightning, the practical combat style, the ice manipulation, the giant’s submission… all pointed to me, Kim Yu-won.

I shared the same characteristics as his benefactor.

“Raise your head. I would have done the same.”

I responded as a benefactor would, unsure what else to say.

My mind raced with questions, but I had to address the current situation first.

Denying it now could lead to unforeseen consequences, so I decided to play along, to become stronger than him before he discovered the truth.

“Thank you for your understanding. But your reappearance after 100 years… Does that mean…?”

I searched my memories, trying to construct a plausible explanation based on his words.

‘A benefactor with my characteristics… appeared 100 years ago, defeated an SS-rank boss monster, and vanished…’

Why would such a benefactor secretly enroll in the academy?

“Yes. Many incidents will occur at this academy, and I’ve come to protect the students.”

I had to make him believe something similar to the incident 100 years ago was about to happen again.

“I see… That’s the only reason someone like you would enroll here.”

He nodded.

While I doubted such incidents would occur, I had to maintain this facade until I was stronger.

“But I can’t handle everything alone, so I’m planning to gather and train promising students.”

I saw an opportunity.

I’d form a club, recruit my people, and receive the principal’s generous support.

A blessing in disguise.

‘Turning a crisis into an opportunity with audacious eloquence.’

That was Kim Yu-won.

“So that’s why you helped my nephew break through his wall… I understand. I’ll do everything in my power to assist you! Anything to keep the students safe!”

He was incredibly enthusiastic.

If nothing happened by the time I graduated, that would be a disaster.

I’d be a fraud and have to flee from the principal.

‘I hope some villains attack the academy.’

I needed to prove my worth, protect the students, secure more funding, and maintain the facade.

“Yes. I look forward to working with you.”

“Yes, benefactor!”

I extended my hand, and he shook it.

It wasn’t a student shaking the principal’s hand; it was a benefactor shaking his sponsor’s hand.

As we released our grip, I asked him a few questions.

“Do you remember what I said when we first met?”

He pondered, then replied.

“It was 100 years ago, but I remember our conversation clearly. When I asked if I could become as strong as you, you said, ‘Even if you don’t reach my level, you’ll become a powerful Hunter.’ Those words fueled my desire to surpass you, but I still have a long way to go.”

‘He even talks like me.’

Perhaps there was a Kim Yu-won doppelganger back then.

“Being a high-ranker is good enough. By the way, how did you know my age? I don’t think I ever revealed it.”

If he had a skill to see others’ Status Windows, or a way to bypass my defenses, I needed to know.

Others might discover my age and become suspicious.

“Ah… you wouldn’t know, since you’ve never registered with the Association.

S-rank Hunters with positive karmic alignment are taught a technique to upgrade their Observe skill.

It allows them to glimpse others’ Status Windows.”

So there was such a skill.

“How do they determine karmic alignment?”

“The skill reveals a person’s kill count and their karmic alignment.”

‘Uh… what would my kill count be?’

At least in the thousands.

But he’d told me this because my karma was positive.

He nodded.

“It only works on those with the same skill, and only if the target is weaker than the user at their respective peaks. I’ll teach you how to upgrade your Observe skill.”

“Thank you.”

He shook his head.

“I’m glad to finally repay you, even in this small way. It’s getting late, so you should return to your dormitory after I explain the technique.”

The dormitory curfew was approaching.

“Alright.”

He explained how to upgrade Observe to Insight. We exchanged farewells, and I left.

“Holy… that was suffocating.”

I hadn’t expected a skill that counted a person’s kill count to exist.

It was fortunate I’d met Jin Baek-ho; another S-rank Hunter might have attacked me without hesitation.

I wasn’t sure about my exact karmic alignment, but even if it was neutral, few would tolerate someone with a kill count in the thousands.

Exhausted, I returned to my dormitory and collapsed on the bed.

It was only my first day, and so much had happened.

The entrance ceremony, the confrontation with Wang Wei, the giant’s appearance, the conversation with Wang Mei, and the meeting with the principal.

The last one had been the most nerve-wracking.

If I’d made a single mistake, I wouldn’t be lying here peacefully.

‘Sleep…’

I couldn’t think anymore.

I turned off the lights and drifted off to sleep, hoping for peaceful days ahead.