Chapter 90 – Masked Man (1)

– Drip-drip.

I open the door and step into the classroom.

With the familiar scent of the classroom, I don a mask, hiding a smile that no one else would see. There aren’t many unfamiliar gazes directed at me.

– Hasn’t he been absent for a while?

I hear such words sporadically, but no one lingers on the thought after their fleeting interest is piqued.

As I make my way to my seat, a girl with a familiar face is smiling. It’s Gu-seul. She greets me in a peculiar manner, raising one hand wide open.

“Yo!”
“Yo?”
“These days, this is the trend. Long time no see!”

Is this really a trend?

Stifling my disbelief, I close my mouth. Gu-seul, on the other hand, doesn’t hold back her laughter, letting out a cheeky, “Hehehe!”

“Starting today, we’ll have a new instructor in charge. Did you know?”
“Uh, yeah.”

After giving a cursory reply, I looked ahead and caught sight of Azalea sitting nearby.

Sensing my gaze, her head turned toward me. Our eyes met, and she quickly offered a subtle smile. I was about to greet her, but then remembered I was wearing a mask and waved my hand instead.

“What’s going on? What’s the connection?”
“Friends.”

Gu-seul, who had been observing us, was quick to find an angle to tease us, but we weren’t about to fall for such juvenile humor. Having tidied up and waited, the school gate eventually opened, and a male instructor entered.

*Door opening noise*

-Oh!

Exclamations rippled through the room like waves.

A man with broad shoulders and an air of deep-seated charisma. An instructor’s badge hung around his neck, and on it were three familiar characters.

Long live. Although his experience as an instructor was limited, he was quite famous as an A-class hero.

‘So, he’s the one doing this?’

I recall meeting him twice, starting with the entrance exam.
How should I describe my impression of him? With his stylish appearance and his ability to handle matters with flexibility, he seemed like the perfect person to have a favorable impression of.
Se-Young told me he was a quite reliable instructor, and indeed, I felt I could trust him.
It wasn’t that he lacked skills; rather, he appeared to have much to teach.

“I regret having to mention this before the exam. From today, I will be the instructor in charge here, known as Mansejeok.”

Skillfully, he elicited responses from the students, gradually unfolding answers to inquiries and self-introductions.

Well then, now that I’ve seen the instructor’s face, it’s time for me to find my routine.

‘I just need to do well.’

Midterm exam. Prodigy.
Elevate my name’s value and attract the attention of numerous guilds.

I had to prove my worth and usefulness in order to win over the votes of my worldly seniors, who seemed to be watching with a keen eye.

That wasn’t the only thing to be concerned about. While fulfilling what I had said, I shouldn’t pay too much attention to Flower. If I were to make a mistake, I could end up being stabbed and meeting my demise on the streets.

In other words, I needed to broaden my political maneuvering a little.
It meant that I had to walk a precarious tightrope, as if I could fall with just one wrong step.
Though Heavenly Demon was by my side, she couldn’t protect me indefinitely.

‘Let’s do it.’

In terms of games, this was about reputation.
Heaven and Zodiac had offered various pieces of advice, but I set those aside.

It wasn’t easy to predict what would happen next.
Was it a lack of resources or ability? Or perhaps an unwillingness to put in the effort?
Although my perception might not be as sharp as theirs, drawing attention had been my forte since the days of nailing things to trees.

No, only I could pull off such audacious feats.

‘And my bloodline is so tainted.’

Politics? Incitement?

There was a reason why I felt it was worth undertaking.
Upon reflection, it was surprisingly within my area of expertise.

I am the son of a politician.

– Tap, tap.

Of course,

‘It’s time to take off this mask too.’

Though I am the son of a politician who has been imprisoned.

* * * * *

When asked to list the Korean cadets at El Academy, certain names consistently came up.

Not to mention Jung Si-woo and Cornus, who held the top and second ranks in their grade.
Azalea, a renowned spirit, had recently drawn attention due to a dubious incident.
Prosecutor Lim Jong-hyun, who had some personality issues, but whose skills could never be disregarded.

When looking solely at the first-year students, those four names were always mentioned.
If a few more were to be added, perhaps Gu-seul, Sooyoung, or Shin Jeong-ah would be considered.

Despite the abundance of exceptional talent this year, only they are consistently called upon. And there was a clear reason for this.

Overwhelming combat capability. Astute situational judgment and lightning-fast reaction speed.

With no one able to match them, none dared to even think about inserting themselves among those esteemed names.

“So, who wants to participate in this demonstration match?”

When the instructor raised his hand and asked, the cadets all held their tongues and hesitated to raise their hands.

*Swish.*

Midterm-preparation tournament exam training room.

The first to raise his hand was, as expected, Cadet Lim Jong-hyun, brimming with confidence and vigor.

“Don’t just raise your hand, say your name, buddy.”
“Yes, it’s Lim Jong-hyun.”
“Alright, Jong-hyun… Come on out.”

Jong-hyun removed his outerwear and stepped into the arena, holding a blunt iron sword with no sharp edge. The contours of his well-defined muscles became visible through his form-fitting combat uniform.

*Whoa…*

The cries of several women resounded.

At the center stood Shin Jeong-ah, her hands clasped tightly together, gazing at the scene with the expression of a lovestruck girl.

Lim Jong-hyun’s opponent was an AI doll, a high-level one that differed in quality and ability from those placed in the training grounds.

“Alright, three, two, one… begin.”

– Beep!

The sound of a whistle. The eyes of the wooden doll, resembling a human form, began to move as they glowed red.

“Now, watch closely. There’s a reason they say blood is spilled in tournaments.”

As the instructor added this explanation, Lim Jong-hyun’s body tilted.

– Swish!

In an instant, the figure sprang forward. The two swords clashed, creating blue waves of energy.

“There are so many subjects for this midterm exam, right? If you lack confidence, I think you can afford to let go of this assessment. Accidents do happen sometimes. Fortunately, the scores aren’t that significant in the freshman tournament.”

A tournament to discern the gifted among the novices.
Typically, it is at this juncture that those with experience or exceptional talent begin to emerge.

“Perhaps you’ve had a profound revelation in these past few months! In that case, it’s worth vying for victory just once.”

Although such words were spoken, in truth, there aren’t many unusual cases of sudden rise during the midterm exams.

Lim Jong-hyun might be the one closest to that category. From the moment he entered, he possessed ample talent and was one of the four prodigies, yet his growth has been undeniably remarkable.

Some of the instructors who taught him regarded him as the potential next chief or second-in-command. It appears that despite his unsavory personality, his talent is genuine.

– Quaang!

A fierce whirlwind surges toward the cadets. The hair of the cadets scatters in all directions, and from the point where the sword strikes are divided, leaves infused with magic dance in unison with the wind. Lim Jong-hyun’s specialty is attacking with magically imbued leaves amidst his swordsmanship.

Cassia tree – the affiliation of the swordsmanship he wields.

The Gyesu family led a massive corporation, successfully expanding their business in Japan. They were renowned for making the Katsura logo a trend.

They were considered among the elite chaebols of Korea. It was fitting that a certain aura of opulence emanated from them.

Born into nobility and living with its expectations, Jonghyun was far ahead of his peers when it came to swordsmanship.

*Kudang Tang!*

Jonghyun nonchalantly glanced at the fallen doll marked with rough scars before returning to his position, as if it were only natural. Envy, admiration, and even a hint of jealousy were emotions he believed he deserved from others.

He looked at the instructor, clad in his combat uniform. Upon receiving a nod from the instructor, Jonghyun returned to his seat.

“Good work, head back in. However, it doesn’t feel very realistic with just one person, does it? Jonghyun finished so quickly, after all.”

Casting his eyes over the nodding cadets, the instructor slowly raised his hand and posed the question once more.

“Who’s up next?”

The cadets glanced around, their gazes darting back and forth.

If Jonghyun had gone first, there were few who could’ve matched his impact.

“Hey, want to give it a try?”
“Nah, I’ll pass.”

As one cadet addressed Jung Si-woo, he vehemently declined.

And so, silence enveloped the group. Everyone licked their dry lips. The instructor, trying to hide his embarrassment, scratched his cheek. Then, someone broke the stillness and raised their hand.

“I’ll do it.”
“Let’s see… Okay, I like a cadet with a daring spirit. Give it a shot.”

A ludicrous mask that didn’t match his robust physique at all. Among the Korean cadets, there were few who didn’t recognize him.

Thanks to a few incidents he had experienced, his exploits occasionally became fodder for gossip during the cadets’ conversations.

When rumors circulated that he was involved with White Peach, a woman of considerable renown, many cadets took an interest in Si-heon. However, as he didn’t stand out in any significant way, their attention eventually waned.

Just an odd one.
A guy you can’t quite figure out.

Some even said he suffered from a case of late onset adolescent rebellion.

– Who was that guy?
– The one wearing a mask.
– I don’t mean that, what’s his name?

There were evaluations of Jung Si-woo, and some cadets could estimate his skills through a few training sessions, but good rumors didn’t spread easily.

– Don’t you know the rumor?
– I know that. But is he strong?
– I don’t know. I’ve never seen him fight since he misses classes so much. Does anyone know his rank?
– I heard he’s ranked 152nd.
– That’s nothing special.

Only malicious gossip seemed to spread like wildfire. A peculiar individual like Lee Si-heon would likely become even more of a target for such talk.

“Alright, let’s begin.”

And so, no one had any expectations.

Except for a select few who were aware of or doubted his abilities,
among them was Lim Jong-hyun. He had been keeping an eye on Jung Si-woo due to a comment made at a previous drinking gathering.

– Beep!

The sound of a whistle.

At the same time, the AI doll sprang to life and charged at Si-heon.

The well-crafted wooden doll’s hand wielded a sword, which menacingly targeted Si-heon’s face, its tip aimed precisely at the midpoint of his forehead. Si-heon didn’t budge an inch until the very moment before the blade would have pierced him.

Standing in an immaculate posture, one could think that he was unable to react at all. Some had already burst into laughter.

If that’s how he would react, why did he step forward? At least he provided some amusement.

It was a natural response if deemed so, and one that could easily be turned around.

The doll’s sword seemed to impale him.

– Huh?

That’s how it appeared.

His head tilted just in time. The doll’s sword sliced through empty air, missing its mark.

Naturally, he placed both of his hands on the doll’s forearms and, in that state, severed the joint in the opposite direction.

– Crack!

A fatal blow imbued with magic power. It stirs the imagination, making one wonder whether they could have reacted properly if struck by such a technique.

The doll fights back with its remaining arm, but Si-heon responds to each movement, displaying various postures. He breaks the doll’s balance with a strike to the heel, and when its stance collapses, he lands the next blow.

– Quaang!

His movements, as he slammed his fist into the doll’s face, were fluid like flowing water rather than ostentatious, a fighting style distinct from Lim Jong-hyun’s.

Although it was entirely different from the one dominating the world of the Heavenly Demon, it was a posture sufficient to elicit admiration from many.

A martial art for show. Can it be called that?

– Wow…

Exclamations erupt from all around.

Having corrected its twisted posture, the charging doll swings its final sword.

– Clash!

However, perhaps due to his shattered concentration, he regrettably succumbed to the sword strike he had been evading expertly until now. The attack narrowly grazed the tip of his chin, knocking the mask off.

– Degur.

The mask, rolled up vertically, tumbled across the floor. He swiftly spun around and delivered a kick to the doll’s heart.

– Quaang!

The doll was sent flying into the distance, collapsing on the floor, and soon its glowing eyes dimmed.

“Huff…”

Labored breaths filled the air. In contrast, without a single droplet of sweat on his face, he flexed his wrist, sat down, and picked up the mask.

Silently retrieving the mask, brushing off the sand, and putting it back on, he was met with gazes filled with various emotions.

“Uh, uh, well done. Good job.”

Having received the instructor’s approval, he returned to his position. He hoped to leave a lasting impression.

The rumors of an extraordinary kind would surely spread rapidly.