I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 12 : Beyond Expectation Existence (3)

[The entrance pledge will now be recited by the representative of the new students.]

Seo Jun-seong, dressed in a perfectly fitted uniform, stepped onto the platform.

'Tch.'

Hwang Ji-su, who was looking at Seo Jun-seong reading the pledge with dissatisfaction, tried to turn her head left and right to find someone.

'Where is that guy standing?'

She wanted to see his face, but he hadn't been visible at all.

'Su-hyeon. He's at the very back.'

Meanwhile, Yu-jin, who could somehow easily spot Su-hyeon, glared once at Nam Tae-hoon who was standing next to him and giggling.

'I don't like that guy.'

[Next, we will have the principal's admission declaration and words of encouragement. All freshmen, please rise from your seats.]

Principal Min Jeong-gap, boasting a towering physique despite his advanced age, solemnly declared from the platform.

"As the principal leading EFAC, I hereby grant your admission from this moment forward."

He was a legendary Awakened who had been active across the first and second generations of the post-Gate era.

Even now, when considered aged, he was an old master boasting power above A+ rank, and also a great educator who established EFAC to nurture the new third generation.

But.

"In addition, I would like to make a few requests to the new students. Our EFAC is an academy established to train Execution Force members, the elite forces of Korea. If we trace back its history..."

'When will this end.'

Even for a veteran player who had repeated the same game hundreds of times, the principal's address would be unbearably boring.

"Also, to stop the increasingly clever and cruel activities of Ma-in, from this moment on, you must have the determination to find life in death and an indomitable spirit..."

Su-hyeon clenched his molars and shuddered to suppress a yawn.

'Hmm. He seems moved by the principal's words.'

The instructors who saw this were satisfied, and.

[You have gained a small favor from the instructors.]

[Achievement points 5 have been awarded.]

'Huh?'

Su-hyeon couldn't guess what this meant.

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[This concludes the entrance ceremony.]

After the entrance ceremony, the 100 cadets dispersed to their respective classes.

EFAC's class assignments are divided into three classes.

First, Class 1 gathers the top 30 cadets who achieved the highest grades, then the next 30 middle-ranked cadets gather in Class 2.

Finally, Class 3 consists of 20 lower-ranked cadets and 20 cadets from the supporter category who were selected through a separate exam.

'The 20 from the supporter side are cadets who are not inferior in level compared to Class 1 in their respective fields.'

They were talents who often became the center of unit operations, especially in fields like intelligence and tracking.

Because of this, among the cadets placed in Class 3 due to low combat power, many would pursue specialization such as carrying out operations in harmony with special Awakened from the supporter category or protecting them.

'In a way, Class 2 has the most ambiguous position.'

Even in the Olympics, gold and bronze medalists are often smiling, but silver medalists often look grim, don't they?

That's exactly it.

If they were just barely getting in, they would at least be grateful to be part of EFAC.

But as they realize the gap with the top cadets that seems like it could be narrowed with just a little more effort but rarely is, it's human nature for frustration to grow.

Thanks to this, later on there's even an event where a Class 2 cadet causes a major incident.

'Seeing things like that, this place is quite harsh on the kids.'

The more intense the competition, the greater the sense of alienation for those who are pushed aside.

But in this academy, even that sense of alienation was used as a driving force to determine 'whether they whip themselves when they fall behind in competition, or turn their knife on others.'

"Class 1 cadets, this way."

After entering the spacious classroom, I sat in a suitable seat.

'This is awkward.'

The awkward and tense air unique to a new semester.

Those who already knew each other had formed several small groups.

'Seo Jun-seong, Lee Yu-jin, and Hwang Ji-su are certainly attracting the most attention.'

Besides them, there were also those sitting crookedly with dissatisfied expressions, or those unnecessarily trying to get close to Seo Jun-seong, each showing their own presence.

'Hong In-hyeon and Park Chang-jun.'

While Hong In-hyeon, who manipulates wind and recorded 4th place in entrance scores, had a rough personality.

Park Chang-jun was literally more like a typical delinquent.

'They're playing cute.'

Besides them, a foreigner with blonde hair and a solid build, and a boy who was already pretending to be friendly and chatting here and there also caught my eye.

'It won't be good if he talks too much.'

I couldn't help but think that kids will be kids.

'Here he comes.'

"You're still noisy."

Swish!

When Kim Cheol-han appeared by opening the front door, the classroom was enveloped in silence as if by magic.

"Do you want to play high school? Then it's not too late to transfer now. I'll write the recommendation letter myself."

"We're sorry!"

'As expected.'

It was the coldness befitting the academy's top mood killer.

"Nice to meet you."

Kim Cheol-han, standing in front of the podium, said with a not-at-all welcoming face.

"I am Homeroom Instructor Kim Cheol-han in charge of Class 1. We've met before."

The cadets quietly swallowed dry saliva, recalling Kim Cheol-han's presence from the entrance exam, where he controlled a thousand people without allowing a peep.

"Look at the aspects of your class. What do you see?"

"......"

While the cadets hastily examined each other and just blinked, Seo Jun-seong opened his mouth.

"The applicants who achieved the highest grades are gathered here."

"It's this hard to hear one easy answer."

"......"

It felt like the temperature in the classroom dropped below zero.

"As you can see, we formed Class 1 by rank. Out of EFAC, where only 100 people can enroll, it's not so strange to call you elites who are in the top 30."

For the cadets who were wondering if they should be happy at the praise, harsh words continued as expected.

"But it's too early to feel secure. Based on first-year grades, the class composition will change again in the second year. For example, if a cadet from Class 2 records 10th place overall, one of you will have to pack up and go to Class 2."

"...!"

'What is this, a football league?'

"Does it seem like I'm unnecessarily intimidating you?"

"No, sir!"

"Among your seniors, there are quite a few who had their composition changed in this way. So remember that from now on, all cadets in Classes 2 and 3 will be eagerly eyeing your positions."

The cadets who made eye contact with Kim Cheol-han froze stiff like frogs in front of a snake.

"It would be good to keep my warning in mind. Never lose the thread of tension. Here, laziness and falling behind have the same meaning."

"Understood!"

Kim Cheol-han, who had thoroughly intimidated them, chuckled.

"Then let's do something a bit more student-like."

He took out a large box from inside the podium.

"Seat assignments."

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"Hi."

Yu-jin, who ended up sitting next to Su-hyeon as a result of the lottery, spoke first.

She was a bit excited to not only be in the same class but also to sit next to him.

"Hi."

Su-hyeon coolly answered and then closed his mouth.

'...Did I speak too coldly?'

Kim Seong-yun's self worried like that, but given Jeong Su-hyeon's personality, any more warmth rarely came out of his mouth.

'Wow. That's otherworldly coolness.'

Nam Tae-hoon, watching from the seat behind, silently giggled.

Who is Lee Yu-jin?

Even without the aura of being the Sword God's granddaughter, her reputation as the second-place overall, and her performance in the entrance exam.

She was a protagonist who monopolized everyone's attention and favor wherever she went.

Even now, weren't other boys glancing over, trying to figure out how to strike up a conversation?

'He's really unusual.'

He found Su-hyeon more and more fascinating.

'Hwang Ji-su has been very conscious of him too.'

Just from her eyes, one could easily guess that the emotion inside wasn't goodwill.

'Seo Jun-seong is also glancing occasionally. Oh my, him too?'

At this point, it seemed like all the notable students were conscious of that inexplicable existence called Jeong Su-hyeon.

'Strange. Well, in my case, I have my suspicions.'

The team-up in the entrance exam.

Nam Tae-hoon was guessing that perhaps it wasn't Yu-jin's idea but Su-hyeon's.

"Attention."

Once the seating was completed, Kim Cheol-han displayed a PPT on the large screen.

"Now I will conduct a simple orientation. The academic schedule of our academy..."

There were explanations that in the first semester of the first year, they would find fields that match their specialties and aptitudes through diverse curricula, and from the second semester, they would hone their skills in areas such as combat, intelligence, and tracking through more specialized classes.

"...Therefore, during the morning's 3 periods, you will take general subjects like Korean, English, and mathematics, and in the 4th period, you will take 'major theoretical classes' such as history of the Gate era and introduction to Ma-in studies. From the afternoon, you will have 'major practical classes' including martial arts, sparring, various simulations, and group classes..."

Kim Cheol-han, who had been explaining without hesitation, fixed his gaze on one cadet.

"You there."

"Y-yes!"

Park Chang-jun, the delinquent who was pointed out, jumped in surprise and straightened his body.

'That guy has the kind of appearance Kim Cheol-han hates the most.'

Su-hyeon thought inwardly.

"It seems you've already fully understood the orientation content. Is that not so?"

"N-no, sir!"

Then Kim Cheol-han's eyes grew colder.

"Then are you saying you were doing something else without fully understanding the content?"

'He's trapped.'

Su-hyeon laughed inside.

"Th-that's! Not it either!"

"It's neither this nor that?"

"I'm sorry!"

"Good. Then answer me. As you can see, the curriculum here is closer to a military academy than a regular high school. The talent we're trying to foster is also closer to soldiers than ordinary members of society. Despite this, why is this place called an academy?"

"Th-that is..."

"If you don't know, honestly say you don't know. That's better than spewing nonsense to escape the situation."

"I-I don't know."

'That idiot.'

Su-hyeon thought.

'In that situation, it's better to ponder the most plausible answer.'

Sure enough, Kim Cheol-han turned his gaze away from him as if he was pathetic.

"Just sit down."

"I'm sorry."

"The reason EFAC is called an academy is simple. The talent we want to foster is not past soldiers fighting with standardized weapons like guns or tanks, but Execution Force members 'with various abilities and applications.' Do you understand what this means?"

It was a question no one easily volunteered to answer.

Therefore, Su-hyeon raised his hand.

"Hooh."

All eyes in the classroom turned to Su-hyeon, who confidently raised his hand.

"Confidence is good. Answer."

"Yes, sir."

Su-hyeon humbly bowed his head and then stood up.

"Execution Force members fight utilizing their unique characteristics. If there are ten members, all ten have different characteristics, so if their abilities and individuality are well utilized, they can create far more diverse variables."

Su-hyeon continued with eloquent speech.

"In other words, because the Execution Force is not a force that moves with standardized weapons and doctrines, the education that fosters them should not be directed towards cultivating standardized talent."

Kim Cheol-han nodded.

"Continue."

"Instead, what we need is education that respects and maximizes the diversity of cadets, and I believe this educational philosophy is closer to the nature of an academy rather than a military school."

"Ho."

Kim Cheol-han's eyes showed a slight gleam.

"Good answer. Sit down."

"Yes, sir."

[Instructor Kim Cheol-han is pleased with your reasoning ability.]

[Achievement points 5 are awarded.]

"As Jeong Su-hyeon said, our EFAC's curriculum focuses on maximizing the potential that the cadets possess. Therefore, we do not want talents who just do well what they're told."

Kim Cheol-han said.

"Think and think again. You can never become first-rate by just following without thinking. Those with impoverished imagination are bound to drop out."

"...!"

"We will teach you how to find the path. Actually finding the path is your responsibility. I hope you never forget that fact from this moment on."

"Understood!"

"Good."

He nodded with satisfaction.

"Now stand up from your seats and change into your gym clothes."

"What?"

"Why so surprised?"

Kim Cheol-han smiled wickedly.

"From now on, it's a test."