episode_0056

Han Sejun was very angry and left the main building and headed to the gym. The sound of cicadas chirping can be heard from somewhere.

When I heard the sound, I thought it was bittersweet. I guess it’s already late summer.

When I opened the door to the gym and entered carefully, the inside was filled with freshmen sparring. 36 people. The number was significantly smaller than that of the first generation students.

Of course, that has to be the case. The 1st generation students are the number of people with special abilities that emerged over 2 years, and the 2nd generation students are only the number of people over half a year.

Han Se-jun came to see me, full of anger, but as he looked at the gym full of passion, memories came flooding back to him, and he felt his anger fading away in an instant.

Didn’t he receive training like that not too long ago? Of course, it only eased up a bit after getting on track to a certain extent, but the freshmen are probably experiencing hell right now.

Byungki Choi was sparring at that moment. It was a sparring match with a man who appeared to be of Indian descent, and by all accounts, his mentor junior was doing well.

Choi Byeong-gi’s circular kick explodes, and his Indian opponent takes a breath and steps back with an urgent expression.

The Indian counterattacked, taking advantage of Choi Byeong-gi’s large roundhouse kick, but Choi Byeong-gi used his special ability to leap out of the air and end up cutting the air with his fist.

Immediately, Choi Byeong-gi’s downward strike lands on his shoulder, and the opponent lets out a groan and rolls on the floor. Seeing that skillful display, Han Se-jun let out an exclamation without realizing it.

‘That’s amazing.’

It’s not for nothing that Choi Byeong-gi is currently ranked in the top 5 among the 2nd generation students.

He was skilled in controlling the ability itself and had an excellent sense of combat. Han Se-jun himself is not weak, but in some ways, his mentor junior may be better than him.

Even though he had a 4-dimensional mind, he was also reasonably handsome, so he was quite popular.

As the Indian opponent falls, the sparring ends and the guy who was in good form eventually spots Han Se-jun and approaches him.

“Oh Sejun senior! Aren’t you in class right now? I was really touched that this junior person even skipped the lecture and came right away! Pya!”

“Me too.”

Annoying guy. Sejun clicked his tongue as if to openly listen.

Sejun decided to put on a joint, but when he saw his face, those feelings eased, so he looked inside the gym.

The enthusiasm of all the 2nd generation students seems quite a contrast to their own. Most of our first-generation students were full of passion until half a year ago… .

‘Tbilisi incident.’

After the incident in which half of the participants became rebels or died, the atmosphere of the first generation changed significantly. Everyone realized the weight of the battle against monsters.

Some still had the will to fight, but most had become pessimistic or avoided participating in the war.

Since half of the 50 people were eliminated, the number must be filled with the remaining members, but the reserve members starting from 50th place also secretly hid their skills and were reluctant to be included as members.

They were clearly alive and warm until morning, but some of the colleagues they had been chatting with and training with returned as cold corpses some time later. They couldn’t help but be shocked, too.

This may be one of the reasons why the mentor system was created. It’s probably a message to look at the juniors working hard and focus on what’s next.

Sheesh.

As I was clicking my tongue, Byeong-gi spoke to me with a smiling face.

“Senior, did you see me? Isn’t that dog fighting a lot? yes? Danjeon was made in less than two weeks? Mana Hole is very difficult to make, but I felt it from the beginning! Dean Elm also praised me. Of course, he immediately kicked my ass. Anyway, you’re a tsundere.”

“… .”

“Well, by the way, Sejun senior is really nice. There is no mentor who takes care of his juniors like this. The other students’ mentors barely talked to each other and were disconnected, but I don’t think the first generation students had much motivation to begin with. Oh, of course, except for a few. Of course, you know that you are one of those few, right?”

A guy who talks to himself and giggles to himself. Han Se-jun began to worry seriously about whether Choi Byeong-gi was emotionally unstable.

Although he is popular and well-known among the 2nd generation members, it is understandable why he does not have any close friends.

While watching Choi Byeong-gi’s excitement, Han Se-jun slowly walks over and sits on a chair on the side of the gym. Choi Byeong-gi sat down next to him and started talking to himself, but nothing in particular caught his ears.

Han Sejun closes his eyes and begins to focus on the sound coming from the center. A strange metallic sound is heard between the sparring guys.

Open your eyes to that sound and find the owner of that sound.

“Oh. Are you looking for Carlos? That guy has a unique ability to metallize his body among the body enhancement series.”

“Metalization?”

“Yes, metalize! It’s kind of cool, though.”

Although body strengthening is a common ability, it is divided into classes.

Usually, the most common category is simply the strength category such as skin or muscle strengthening, but it is divided into several special categories such as body metallization or petrification, brain computing power enhancement, vision enhancement, etc.

Han Sejun himself is like that too.

If the ability to release magic power was not an ability that could strengthen not only oneself but also the opponent, it would probably have been classified as a simple body enhancement ability.

If that’s the case, I probably wouldn’t have even met Jang Ah-hyun. No, she wouldn’t have found herself.

Because their leader is a special ability lover.

“The guy I think is Carlos seems like a similar case to Li Jiyuan.”

“Ah. It might be similar to him. No, is it backwards compatible? Anyway, that’s right.”

Sejun thought of Li Jiyuan for a moment. He was unable to recover the leg he lost during his first appearance, so he had to wear a metal prosthetic leg.

As a result, his combat power has decreased, but he still continues his efforts by participating in all curriculums with an iron will.

He’s probably the one who has changed the most since the beginning.

In the past, he was a guy who was obsessed with rankings and strength, but now he doesn’t really care even though he was pushed out of the top 10.

Unlike the first time, his personality was much calmer and he was a nice guy.

“But why did you come? I guess you really didn’t come to see my face. ah! To talk about that Senior Yoon Sia?”

“No─”

─Bwaaaaeang!

It was the exact moment when Han Sejun tried to deny his words.

A sharp siren rings out throughout Ellada, stopping Choi Byeong-gi from speaking!

A sound that gets louder and smaller repeatedly. This sound is a real-time warning siren. It’s the gate!

“Huh? Senior this siren.”

“It’s a real situation! I’m going.”

Choi Byeong-gi opens his eyes wide and stops talking to him, and Se-jun reflexively gets up and runs out of the gym.

Behind him, he could hear the boy sending off, saying, “Have a nice day,” but Sejun didn’t have the energy to pay attention to his weapons.

I haven’t received the intelligence briefing yet, so I don’t know the details, but it feels like something big has happened. A real-time warning siren.

[Sejun! Where are you? Your heart is as loose as cotton candy. What are you doing? This is the real situation right now!]

[Nakajima! Please don’t read my mind! I’m on my way now. Where are you? How many teleport gates should I go to?]

Sejun runs with a straight face at Nakajima, who uses his supernatural ability to talk to him in his heart. Seeing Sejun’s facial expression, Nakajima took a deep breath.

[Oh, I didn’t read the thoughts themselves, so you don’t have to worry. It’s a bit ridiculous that I immediately started laughing after getting scolded and kicked out of the lecture. What did you see? Did you even watch an interesting video?]

[It’s not like that!]

Sejun sighs and plays with his feet. Flames were burning at his toes.

Sejun activates his supernatural ability and shoots out like a bullet. Ellada officials who were walking must have seen him running and hurriedly get out of the way.

Although they had been bickering with each other for a long time, Nakajima’s attitude these days is far from friendly in Sejun’s opinion.

As if sensing Sejun’s emotions running and screaming in his head, Nakajima could only make a humming sound.

Nakajima must have sensed that Sejun was about to get really angry and suddenly burst into laughter.

[Still, I’m glad. Because you are the most mentally strong among our classmates. I feel really sorry that you are the person who reflects the image I have longed for.]

[I’m really sorry, but I don’t know what you mean!]

[The area is LA. Please come to gate 12 on the 2nd basement level. They say a gate broke out in Los Angeles about 7 minutes ago, so come quickly.]

Nakajima does not answer Sejun’s question, but only tells him the location, and then arbitrarily cuts off the communication with his special ability. Unknown guy. Sejun thinks so and takes his longsword from the locker in the main building.

Sejun hurriedly runs down the marble stairs carrying his beloved weapon. Other combat members can be seen rushing down with him.

‘Ugh.’

I used to feel a bit frustrated when talking to Nakajima.

Would you say it’s the Japanese culture of speaking back and forth? It was cute and nice when I saw it in the animation, but when I actually experienced it in real life, it was so frustrating.

Because I’m not sure exactly what you’re trying to say. Or is it a problem with the translation badge? Whatever it was, the feeling of frustration was no different.

Now that I think about it, my position these days is probably the lowest on the team. Feeling a bit sad, Sejun sniffed, swallowed, and opened the door of teleport gate number 12.

“You’re here.”

Inside, Professor Northmund and a group of students were there.

The Dean maintains his human form with a dignified appearance within the academy, but when competing, he usually transforms into his original form, a dragon resembling a lizard.

Seeing as he still maintains his human form, I wonder if this place isn’t that dangerous.

‘Then I’m glad.’

With various thoughts in his head, Sejun stood behind the leader’s line.

Sejun gives an awkward greeting to the girl with piercings who slaps her on the back as a greeting and glares for a moment at the girl with a hime cut who curls the corner of her mouth when she looks at him. Only then does he look around.

─Ha. ha.

─You’ll be okay, right? It will be fine. okay.

─Dang, what a battle. We can survive, right? Damn it!

Whispering sounds can be heard from everywhere.

Although not all 50 members were filled as people were still arriving, it was difficult to say that the condition of the members was very good.

Because most of the faces were filled with swirling emotions of anxiety and nervousness.

It was the first time for Ellada’s students to compete since the Tbilisi recapture war.

Of course, there were several gate incidents after that, but perhaps out of consideration for them, Dean Northmund would go out alone to deal with them. This is the first time the siren has sounded throughout the school.

Dean Northmund approaches the magic circle and opens his mouth.

“A small-scale gate broke out in LA. Since citizens have not yet been properly evacuated, the National Guard is currently prioritizing the evacuation of citizens. In other words, your goal is to block the gate and help the National Guard evacuate the citizens. So divide into teams according to purpose.”

The dean paused and looked at us for a moment before speaking.

“We will divide into a combat team to intercept monsters and a lifesaving team to rescue citizens. Those who want to participate in battle should stand on the left, and those who wish to act as life savers should stand on the right.”

As soon as Dean Northmund’s words fell, the people began to murmur.

They each roll their eyes and look at each other. After being unable to settle down for about ten seconds, they gradually begin to move to their desired location.

After numerous footsteps echoed in the underground teleport room, the result was eventually revealed.

“Huh.”

Gideon’s lament is heard. It was a sigh that came straight from the heart, as if it was so absurd.

In the cavity where the nervous footsteps of students echoed here and there, Gideon Gray’s sigh, which sounded so foreign, entered Sejun’s ears too deeply.

The sound of someone kicking the floor is heard.

“Hey, you bastards. You guys have no conscience! Are you afraid to fight like that? Bastards with no balls!”

As if Jimmy’s intense emotions were revealed, a small flame exploded from his temple. The sound of the explosion mixed with the sound of his footsteps gives a feeling of intimidation.

“Those damn legs! Even the idiot who was in last place wants to fight, so why are you hiding so afraid? You bastards!”

“Stop it.”

The Dean raises his hand to silence Jimmy. The dean was as expressionless as usual, but the shade on his face showed some degree of disappointment.

Sejun sighed. That’s because the two sides were so contrasting.

The number of members of the combat team he was currently standing on was only a little over ten.

In other words, excluding the leaders of each faction and Sejun’s own team members, only about 5 people chose the battle team.

On the other hand, the lifesaving team is located relatively in the rear and will be with the U.S. National Guard, so it is a much safer position than the combat team.

That’s why most people ignored the combat team that would be deployed to the front lines.

“Alex. No, Alexander Ivanovich. I’m so disappointed in you, you dirty bastard.”

“No… Well, that… .”

Alexander puts his fingers together and makes an embarrassed expression. I felt like I had a hard time figuring out what excuse to make or how to choose words.

“You have a special ability! It’s a long way away! Why are you so afraid that you’re running away? Loser bastard.”

“Ugh… .”

Still, Sejun knows. No, anyone here would know.

Jimmy may feel betrayed, but really, who can criticize him?

Your life is the most precious thing. The human spirit of sacrifice is noble and deserves praise, but it cannot be forced.

Sejun turned his eyes and looked at Li Jiyuan standing next to him. He had his arms crossed and his eyes closed, looking quite relaxed.

Even though he was called a leg bastard—of course there was no malicious intent from Jimmy—he didn’t show much of a reaction. Instead, Li Yingying next to him was holding Dadao tightly and glaring at Jimmy as if he were going to kill him.

‘and… .’

Sejun’s eyes soon moved towards the woman with long black hair. She went from last place in the season to recently ranked in the top 40.

Of course, there may have been intentional attempts by existing battle members to lower their scores or the rest of the members avoided improving their scores, but Yun Sia’s skills, which immediately entered the top 50, were naturally praiseworthy.

With horns rising forward, slitted vertical pupils, and slightly sharpened fangs, she was only looking at the dean in the center as if nothing caught her eye even in this commotion.

Sejun clicked his tongue slightly at that blindness. It seemed like the day Choi Byeong-ki would achieve his dream would never come.

Meanwhile, Northmund, who was looking at the members on the left, opens his mouth.

“Nakajima. Move to the right.”

“Yes? that… But I have a combat team… .”

“Yes. It’s a very courageous choice and I respect your choice. However, with your abilities, it would be best for you to join a rescue team and act as a relay between each team. Don’t be disappointed. The most important thing here is the job you will be in charge of.”

“Ha… But.”

“I will do that, Yue.”

Jang A-hyeon looks at her and nods. At her words, she looked back and forth between her leader and Sejun, then changed her position with a slightly muttering expression.

The dean, who was looking at her moving quickly, nodded his head and walked towards the magic circle.

“Then let’s go. Stand on the magic circle. I hope everyone does their best in their respective positions.”

After the dean finished speaking, he put a cigarette in his mouth, put on a wool fedora-style hat, and stood on the magic circle.

Next to him, Deokjae Lee’s countdown sound is heard. As the number approaches zero, the magic circle shines magnificently.

“… 3, 2, 1, teleport activated!”

Eventually, the light engulfed everyone, and only Lee Deok-jae remained.

“Good luck everyone.”

The teleportation is complete and Deokjae Lee bows lightly and heads out the door to an empty space.

The light from the magic circle that was fading after activation was attached to his suit and was shining lightly like a decoration.