I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 13 : Orientation (1)

We all changed into our gym clothes and assembled at the third field.

"Silence."

Instructor Kim Cheol-han, standing with his hands behind his back and scanning the audience, said.

"You must be curious why we're gathered here."

"Yes, sir."

"Before getting to the main point, let's have a brief Q&A. What is the difference between demonic beasts and Ma-in?"

"......"

Seeing the cadets just looking at each other, he clicked his tongue.

"You don't seem to know when to be silent and when to speak."

"Demonic beasts refer to life forms from beyond the Gates that have been subsumed by demonic energy."

Yu-jin was the first to raise her hand and speak.

"In contrast, Ma-in refers to Awakened who have mutated after the accumulated magical energy from hunting demonic beasts exceeded a critical threshold."

Kim Cheol-han nodded at the textbook answer and asked again.

"Then why must there be separate Hunters who face demonic beasts and Execution Force members who face Ma-in?"

"That is..."

As Yu-jin hesitated with her words momentarily blocked, I answered instead.

"Because the behavior and response methods differ depending on whether the opponent is a Ma-in or a demonic beast."

Kim Cheol-han nodded at my standard answer without raising any objections.

"Continue."

"Demonic beasts basically lack intelligence and act according to instinctive killing impulses. Therefore, their combat methods are also simple and crude."

In simple terms, the demonic beasts in EoG are similar to monsters appearing in fantasy, like orcs, trolls, or griffins.

"In contrast, the vast majority of Ma-in were originally Hunters. This means they know how to fully utilize their characteristics and display tactical behavioral patterns."

It was almost embarrassing to feel like I was reciting the answers fluently in advance.

"Therefore, to face Ma-in, specialized personnel with tactical education are needed. That is why the Execution Force must be distinguished from Hunters."

"You've been giving good answers from earlier."

Kim Cheol-han said.

"Thank you."

"Tch."

I heard Hwang Ji-su quietly clicking her tongue.

"Thank you."

Yu-jin quietly gave a thumbs up while her eyes sparkled.

"Nothing to thank me for."

"Let me supplement a bit more. Facing a Ma-in means you must anticipate human-to-human combat. High-ranking Ma-in not only possess intelligence and cruelty beyond humans, but also wield power strengthened beyond their pre-mutation state."

Therefore.

"Everything taught here are techniques for destroying humans and subduing humans. If Hunters' fights are like hunting, our fights are closer to engagement."

"!"

After glancing at the cadets' changing expressions, Kim Cheol-han added.

"You'll understand what that means whether you want to or not."

'It starts now.'

I thought.

Seeing is believing.

No matter how much you talk, there's no better education than experiencing it firsthand.

"Next question. If you had the 'ability to pass through objects and humans,' how would you use it?"

The first to step forward was Hwang Ji-su, who had been showing signs of impatience at my answers.

"I would use it for intelligence gathering. If I could freely move between walls and doors, I could easily access places the enemy wouldn't expect. I think it's a characteristic suitable for the supporter category."

Seo Jun-seong also answered after her.

"I would use it for rescue operations. I think it would be particularly useful in disaster situations like fires in buildings where entry is difficult."

'That's also a necessary virtue.'

Ma-in suppression, citizen protection, intelligence activities.

These were the three main duties required of Execution Force members.

"In my opinion..."

As quite reasonable answers followed after the two, the cadets all seemed to agree, nodding their heads.

But they weren't answers that would satisfy Kim Cheol-han.

"You are intentionally excluding one possibility. I'll ask again. Could you fight Ma-in with that characteristic?"

"Well..."

No one could answer, and I deliberately didn't give the answer.

"I'll tell you instead. You're all thinking, 'Is that really so strong?' Because the ability to pass through doesn't particularly enhance destructive power."

The students, hit right on the mark, reluctantly agreed.

"...Yes, sir."

Just then.

"I'll correct that stupid thinking of yours!"

A loud voice came from behind everyone.

"Oh my goodness!"

"That scared me!"

"Hahaha! Your backs were completely exposed!"

It was a middle-aged man with a surprisingly white face despite his nimble yet solid physique that suggested good athletic ability.

'He's here.'

"My name is Kang Jun-man."

Instructor Kang Jun-man.

A veteran who had been through countless battles and unquestionably a specialist in the field of Ma-in suppression.

However, despite having built up such a reputation through many actual battles, his body appeared clean without a single scar.

'That's what's scary about this man.'

"Rookies, I hear you're quite a promising generation?"

Kang Jun-man said.

"But all I see are chicks that haven't even properly matured. How did this happen?"

"!"

'Obvious provocation.'

But some guys could be seen getting riled up at those words.

Hong In-hyeon, Park Chang-jun.

They had the nastiest personalities in the class.

"I hate long-winded talk. Let's get straight to the point."

Kang Jun-man smiled, showing his white teeth.

"Those of you who are confident, come at me one by one."

❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀

The first to step forward was Park Chang-jun.

"I'm Park Chang-jun."

"There's no need to reveal your name. I don't want to remember the incompetent ones."

"......"

Though he came forward boldly, Park Chang-jun's expression was stiff with tension.

'Pass through objects? Then how am I supposed to deal damage?'

Kang Jun-man, reading his inner thoughts, sneered.

"You stepped forward recklessly without even knowing how to face me? You lack the basics."

"W-well."

Park Chang-jun didn't know what to do under the scathing criticism.

'He's been ruining his image from the start.'

Su-hyeon thought.

Park Chang-jun was exactly the type of case that fit the saying: if you stay still, you'll at least be average.

"Then let's start right away."

"Good!"

As soon as Kim Cheol-han announced, Kang Jun-man charged immediately.

"Eek!"

Caught off guard, Park Chang-jun hastily fired mana bullets while retreating to create distance.

Bang, bang, bang!

Each time a mana bullet exploded, a large hole was formed in the ground.

'The power is quite good.'

Mana Tank.

This characteristic that Park Chang-jun possessed was an ability that allowed him to store much more mana in his body than others.

'It's quite a decent ability.'

Park Chang-jun developed his characteristic by learning basic-level magic like energy missiles or energy balls and projecting high firepower.

'It looks plausible at first glance, but it's actually just a product of laziness.'

From the perspective of a veteran player like Su-hyeon, it was merely an operation method arising from the complacent idea of pursuing maximum efficiency with minimum effort.

To put it coldly.

'A case where intelligence doesn't keep up with ability.'

"What have you been listening to all this time!"

Kang Jun-man's body became transparent, allowing all attacks to pass through.

'Damn, what do I do!'

Park Chang-jun's confusion didn't end there.

"Ah!"

Kang Jun-man's charging body became transparent and passed right through Park Chang-jun.

"Huh!"

Park Chang-jun, startled, looked back.

"Stupid boy!"

Kang Jun-man passed his transparent arms through Park Chang-jun's arms as he raised his guard and retreated, then put him in a sleeping hold, choking him.

"Kek kek kek kek!"

With his windpipe suddenly blocked, Park Chang-jun hurriedly tapped out and was only then released.

'Incredible.'

Su-hyeon smiled.

It was a perfect submission executed in less than a second.

'A black belt holder is indeed different.'

Jiu-jitsu black belt.

There could hardly be a more certain guarantee of a grappler.

"It took less than 5 seconds to subdue you. If you were a Ma-in, your estimated rank would be D."

"Kuuk!"

"Now return to your place."

Kang Jun-man, looking pathetically at Park Chang-jun whose rebellion had faded from his eyes unlike before, sought his next prey.

"You there."

"Yes!"

The one pointed out was Kang Geon-woo.

He was the very were-ape who had become a big topic for successfully executing a throw on Oh Chang-seong.

"I saw you using judo during the entrance exam. Did you learn it at a dojo?"

"Yes. I trained at my parents' recommendation."

"Hmm. Combining judo with a were-ape's body? Your parents had great insight."

'That's exactly right.'

Su-hyeon thought.

For Kang Geon-woo, who could transform into a gorilla—the strongest in terms of power among primates—to use judo techniques was truly an excellent combination.

'Actually, it's closer to fitting well because he was born into a judo family.'

"How about a match between practitioners of judo and jiu-jitsu?"

"Alright."

As there wasn't really a situation to refuse, Kang Geon-woo stepped forward.

"Urgh!"

Ten seconds later, Kang Geon-woo, lying face down with his ankle twisted, declared surrender.

"I surrender."

"Your strength is good, but you still have a long way to go."

Kang Jun-man chuckled.

"Well, is there anyone else who wants to step up?"

"......"

The cadets swallowed dry saliva, seeing the two completely subdued without being able to do anything.

'This is cheating. How can you win against that?'

'Attacks don't even hit him in the first place.'

"You observed well."

Kim Cheol-han said.

"None of you thought that the characteristic of passing through would be useful in combat. But how about now? Both of them were helplessly defeated by a simple tactic of evading attacks and then approaching to break joints."

"...That's true."

"By adding the judgment to combine the seemingly unremarkable ability to pass through with the martial art of jiu-jitsu, he gained a power that appears almost invincible. This is what proper utilization of characteristics is all about."

"As Instructor Kim Cheol-han says."

Instructor Kang Jun-man added.

"Why did I train in jiu-jitsu rather than other martial arts? It's easy to understand if you think about the characteristics of Ma-in. Most Ma-in have bodies similar to humans. That's natural since they originated from humans. In other words, this means that martial arts created to face humans can also be effective against Ma-in."

The combination of martial arts and characteristics.

It was the advancement that Execution Force members had reached to face Ma-in.

"If I were a Hunter and faced giant, heteromorphic demonic beasts, I would have been only half as effective. My tactics would have been completely different from now. But as an Execution Force member, I am a veteran who has accumulated achievements on numerous battlefields."

Looking at the new cadets who seemed to have realized something, Kang Jun-man said.

"Understand your abilities, and research ways to maximize your strengths. And identify the abilities and strengths and weaknesses of your opponents to find ways to exploit their weaknesses. That is the development task you need."

"Understood!"

"Your energy is good."

Kim Cheol-han nodded and said.

"The faster you apply what you've learned, the more efficient it is. From now on, show me your answers on how to counter Instructor Kang Jun-man."

"...!"

"I'll give bonus points."

The cadets' faces, who thought it was over, showed bewilderment.

"I'll take the challenge."

Su-hyeon was the first to raise his hand.