Chapter 31: Group Assignment (1)

Nothing could be hidden from me.
I saw the insidious desire, and my stomach twisted.

So I stomped my foot with all my might. With the feeling of crushing him.
I was quite proud. The feeling of getting rid of a piece of trash.

The result?
It was clean.

‘I got a good martial art. It’s F-grade, but it’s enough to beat a certified hunter without even taking out Asadia.’

It was remarkable growth. I felt refreshed.
Just as my chest was about to swell.

Hayang approached.
Jeong Chaemin was dazed.

It seemed like she needed time to process the fact that a little girl had been stomping in front of her eyes.
Her vacant face was still soaked in alcohol.

Achilles said.

[Didn’t you notice?]
“Yes? What?”
[Look at what’s attached to your foot.]

I lowered my gaze.

Tentacles swaying. Eyes sparkling.
It was Blackie.

He didn’t fall off and stuck to my leg.
Oh, how well-behaved.

I was so proud that I petted him.

“What about Blackie?”
[The attack just now contained the spirit’s narrative. It seems to have the effect of instantly killing the enemy. Even if it hadn’t, the result would have been the same.]

Achilles’ words felt awkward.

In a word.
Did I unknowingly handle Blackie?

‘How?’

I had been trying to tame Blackie.
But it didn’t move as I intended.

Even though I could see through everything about Blackie, it wasn’t me who wielded the narrative.

But this time, I seemed to have used it inadvertently.

‘Hmm, why? Did it react to my will?’

I didn’t know the details, but it seemed like there were separate conditions for handling spirits.
Should I ask Haruki about it later in the club room?.

I was lost in thought for a while.

“What happened?!”
“What’s going on?”

The astonished questions were understandable.
The vibrating sound of the light strike bursting with all its might must have echoed throughout the area.

Hearing the commotion, the guild members of Taesanbukdu gathered.
The students of the academy were also rushing over.

The sounds that reached my ears were so harsh that everyone’s expressions were serious.

Questions asking about the situation poured out.
There was no need to make excuses or elaborate.

The circumstances were already scattered all over the place.
All I had to do was answer a few questions bravely.

The guild members of Taesanbukdu who heard the situation were buzzing.

“…What? Kang Sihoon was a demon?”
“Suddenly?”
“But it makes sense.”
“So this was the reason why his achievements rose at some point.”

And.
Their eyes turned to me.

“…Did you do it?”
“Really?”
“That’s amazing.”
“Such a young first-year student made a contribution.”

Their eyes changed.

From disbelief to surprise.
From surprise to acceptance.

It was understandable.
Demons were fallen beings who accepted the remnants of the World Boss.

They were not easy to deal with.

Of course, this guy was different.
He only absorbed the power of the demon. Even that, he couldn’t handle it properly.

Compared to a real demon, he was just a pest.

“I was just lucky.”

On the surface, it was a feat of defeating a demon.

However, I spoke modestly.
Hunters tended to exaggerate their achievements, but I didn’t.

Then.
Unfounded hostility was directed at me. They spoke as if they were chewing and spitting.

“Of course, what could you have done?”
“You probably just hid behind Jeong Chaemin.”
“What can a person who only shoots guns do?”

They wouldn’t even treat a cockroach like this.
I could hear all the whispering. They were talking knowing that it would reach my ears.

‘Why are they like this?’

I didn’t know the reason.
I just tilted my head.

When I returned, the day had turned dark.
Hot water gushed out. I took a shower in the hot steam.

After I dried my hair, the world became dark.

Exam period.
It was a sensitive time for everyone.

But, even assignments poured out.

Looking out the window, the dormitory lights didn’t seem to turn off. No, it wasn’t just the dormitory.
The laboratory, study room, training room, library, and even the anatomy lab of the medical department.

The entire academy was running all night like a huge factory.

Under that light, even at this moment, someone would be organizing formulas, someone would be memorizing the family tree, and someone else would be struggling by running in the gym or the training ground.

I felt a strange emotion.

‘Everyone is working hard. Is this a prestigious academy.’

Something, a scholarly atmosphere that made me feel like I should study all night too.

Of course, there was no need for that. Concentrating at school during the day was enough.
Because I opened the upper danjeon.

It was a head that took only the advantages of a savant while discarding the disadvantages.
It absorbed the world in forms and patterns. What I saw once was always clear.

So my time was different in value from others’ time.
I just yawned. At a young age, nothing was more precious than sleep.

“Yawn. I’m sleepy.”

It was the time when cherry blossoms were gradually blooming.
The weather had become quite warm. I threw my body, which was only wiped of moisture, onto the bed.

Creak-

The soft mattress sank deeply with the sound of springs.
I felt like I was tucked into a cloud.

The blanket?
I kicked it with my feet.

It was a bit hot.
Go away.

“Hmm. Zz.”

I just lay there, covered in moonlight.
Every time I exhaled deeply, the pure white light rippled and followed.

The next day.

“This concludes the lecture.”

The sense of fulfillment that filled my mind.
The class was fruitful. The professors were always logical and their explanations were clear.

The feeling of learning something new?
Always thrilling.

So I kicked off the chair and stood up.
I drank too much strawberry latte. My bladder was also tingling.

‘Bathroom.’

I diligently moved my legs.
Because it was time to decide on the team members for the group project.

But.
When I came back, it was already over.

There was no point in hurrying.

The air had already changed.
Everyone quickly formed teams, and close friends gathered in groups of three or five.
My existence was implicitly deleted.

“Is there anyone who needs a partner?”

My words were not noticed.
Quiet exclusion.

I cautiously approached a group. There was no way that I, who was visually impaired, had lived a normal life.

I was afraid of a possible rejection.
As I spoke, I unconsciously scratched the floor with my toes.

“Do you need one more person here?”

Suddenly, the conversation stopped.
They glanced at each other.

A short silence.
And an awkward laugh.

“Um… We’re also a bit unsure…”
“We’ve already divided the roles to some extent. It’s difficult to accept additional members.”

They trailed off.
They avoided my gaze.

Someone unnecessarily touched the laptop.

I shut my mouth.

‘What should I do? This is a big problem.’

At that moment, when I was stomping my feet.
A girl about my height spoke to me.

“Oops? Are you the commoner I saw at the bathhouse? You were in the same department. You’re lucky indeed. I’ll give you the chance to do the assignment with me. Will you accept this honor?”

A casual formality. It was the tone unique to a chaebol family.

Even though she was beaten up by Blackie, she seemed to have survived by sacrificing expensive equipment.
She looked so healthy that there seemed to be no aftereffects.

Loran Esperance.
She looked at me with confident eyes.

I recognized her immediately. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie.
It was the eyes of an outcast, abandoned because she had no friends.

“……”

I had no choice.
I felt like something had gone seriously wrong.

The tower of Korea rose from the sea.
Along with it, the entire ground rose.

A land reclamation project done by the system.
We acquired territory for free.

A miracle occurred overnight, overturning the sediment layer that nature had created over millions of years.
The academy was built on that land.

There was no way the site wouldn’t be vast.

I walked diligently.
Just the two of us.

“Ugh, how much farther is it?”
“It should be a little further.”

“Can’t we just use our internal energy and run?”
“Using magic or martial arts freely in the academy is punishable.”

Hunters were a fighting race.
Naturally, conflicts between students were frequent.
Even if it wasn’t an official match, minor disputes quickly escalated into the use of force.

To prevent this, the academy established a provision strictly prohibiting the use of combat techniques without prior notification.

“Tsk.”

Loran seemed to be self-restraining.
No matter how rich she was, it was burdensome to be at odds with the academy.

The meeting place was in front of a cave. A labyrinth that stretched deep underground.
It was a facility created by the academy for student practical training.

The entrance was as huge as a tunnel, and an ominous aura emanated from beyond.
A murmuring sound could be heard from the darkness. It couldn’t be just the wind.

“You can wear it right over your clothes.”

I received the equipment from the teaching assistant.
Miles equipment.

It was high-tech equipment that enabled the depiction of actual combat.
It was said that it could record movements, accumulate combat data, and implement damage to the hit area.

The concept of HP, which was somewhat unfamiliar to students, was depicted.

“Eh? Do we have to wear it?”
“It’s a group project. If I don’t wear this, I’ll get a zero too.”

“I don’t really care? How about we just ditch this? I’ll buy you something delicious.”
“……”

I was afraid she would actually do that. I couldn’t ruin my grades with a group project.
My hands and feet became faster.

“Okay, it’s done.”

I first put the equipment on Loran.
Fastening the buckles, adjusting the shoulder straps, everything was done quickly.

There were no problems.

But.
The problem was from now on.

Loran pretended to be calm, but she frowned slightly.

“Hey, I told you to stop moving.”
“I was still.”

The buckle clicked.
The strap clicked.
The armor piece clicked.

She tried to manage her expression, but her slightly dissatisfied lips and strangely stiff fingertips were all revealed. It seemed like it wasn’t going as planned.

“…It’s just… not working.”
“Wouldn’t it work if you use force?”

“Ugh. Even if I use force… it doesn’t work?”

Loran pouted and pulled the strap hard.

Click again.

…Is this difficult?

“…It’s too big. Even pulling a bowstring wouldn’t be this hard.”

At that time.
Finally, the metal interlocked with a clicking sound.

“It’s done. Ugh, finally finished. You pesky thing…”

Loran brushed off the dust on her fingertips.
The emotion that passed over her face was fleeting. It was impossible to tell whether it was boredom, relief, or even a sense of victory.

Then she turned around.
I felt that her gait was slightly faster than usual. There was a sense of urgency in her footsteps.

I just tilted my head.
Why is she like that?.

“Let’s go together.”
“Don’t stick to me. Walk away!”

I didn’t know.