I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 231 : Prophet of the End (4)

Going back in time a little.

During the middle of the meeting, Principal Min Jeong-gap received an official document from the Execution Force and smiled as he took out his glasses.

"Let's read through this, shall we?"

The document, stamped with the Commander's seal, contained the following:

"......Cadet Jeong Su-hyeon shall be awarded the 2nd Class Military Merit Medal, and the eight cadets who fought alongside him, including Seo Jun-seong, shall be awarded the 3rd Class Military Merit Medal."

"Wow!"

"A 2nd Class Military Merit Medal?!"

"Isn't that awarded by the President?"

"I've never received one myself, so I wouldn't know."

The shocked instructors whispered among themselves.

"......Furthermore, the medals will be presented at the academy by the Chief of Staff in person, and they plan to invite the press for extensive media coverage."

"My goodness."

"This is truly hero treatment."

"A 2nd Class Military Merit Medal for a cadet who's not even twenty."

Instructor Lee Ho-seung smacked his lips.

"Chang-seong, do you have any medals?"

"I have one."

"I have two," Instructor Kim Cheol-han cut in.

"Damn, I have two as well."

"Are they 2nd Class or 3rd Class?"

"One of each."

"How old were you when you received them?"

"I got the 2nd Class when I was thirty-two."

Lee Ho-seung shook his head.

"That Su-hyeon kid, getting a medal at his age? About 80% of Squad Leaders don't even have one."

"Indeed."

Even the instructors felt a mix of astonishment and disbelief.

When this news spread, the impact and motivation it would have on the other cadets would be tremendous.

"...Ahem."

Principal Min Jeong-gap, who boasted no less than seven medals himself, cleared his throat.

"Has there ever been a case of a cadet receiving a medal?" Vice Principal Gong Gi-jeong asked.

"No, there hasn't. It would be strange if there were."

"......Between this and his position as Special First Place. He's truly an unprecedented cadet in many ways."

"I agree."

Principal Min Jeong-gap smiled.

"Su-hyeon's three years will truly remain a legend of our EFAC."

'Hae-na's eye for talent was better than mine.'

Principal Min Jeong-gap smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

'I wonder if she inherited her discerning eye from her father or from this old man.'

Of course, he wouldn't inappropriately interfere in young people's relationships.

But as a grandfather, he was quite pleased that his potential future grandson-in-law was so outstanding.

"That said, this makes it even more difficult to address their unauthorized departure."

"Indeed."

"In that sense, shall we hear the rest of Instructor Kim's suggestion?"

Principal Min Jeong-gap looked at Instructor Kim Cheol-han as he spoke.

"If we allow them to naturally earn merit and cover up the incident, we could handle this matter smoothly."

"The gate that has formed on campus is expected to enter its dormancy period soon. When that happens, shouldn't we handle it at our level? The Execution Force is already struggling with manpower shortages."

"That's right."

"The problem is that we're not in a comfortable situation either. We're already receiving personnel requisition requests from the Execution Force, and we need to resume the academic schedule as soon as possible."

So, what I'm suggesting is, Kim Cheol-han continued.

"What if we send those kids into the gate to destroy the crystal? We could use that to cover up their unauthorized actions."

"Hmm."

"Even so......"

"What if they get hurt?"

Several instructors expressed concerns.

"These are the same kids who stopped the Liberation Corps. Would they get hurt in a mere dungeon? Besides, we can have a few instructors accompany them for emergency situations."

"Well, that's true."

"I think it's a good idea."

Instructor Oh Chang-seong raised his hand.

"Those kids are already doing well in their internships, aren't they? And these kinds of missions are common in the field anyway. Let's just consider it practical training."

"Isn't this too slipshod?"

"But the justification is reasonable, isn't it?"

Principal Min Jeong-gap stepped in to summarize.

"I think this approach is appropriate in many ways given our current situation."

"......"

The instructors all seemed to agree with his statement.

"Good, then Instructor Kim, go and talk to them."

"Understood."

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"......So that's the situation."

Instructor Kim Cheol-han cleared his throat as he wrapped up his explanation.

"Is there anyone who objects?"

"I feel like we'd be left with nothing if we did object," Kwon Seung-yeon said, scratching the back of her head.

"I appreciate your quick understanding."

"......"

"You all should know this, but demonic beasts are much more diverse than humanoid Ma-in. Of course, you've experienced them once in training, but it would be dangerous to base your expectations on that."

Instructor Kim Cheol-han warned.

"However, you've already built up considerable real combat experience fighting Ma-in. Even active-duty personnel rarely face powerful Ma-in like the Liberation Corps. If you stay calm and handle whatever situation arises, this shouldn't be a difficult mission."

"Understood."

At Seo Jun-seong's response, Kim Cheol-han gave a slight smile.

"Good. You'll have a few days before entering the gate, so use that time to replenish your strength and prepare for the dungeon."

"Yes, sir!"

"And make sure to wash and iron your uniforms neatly."

"Why do we need our uniforms?"

"Why else?"

Kim Cheol-han answered as if it were obvious.

"Aren't you going to receive your medals?"

❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀

After the confinement order was lifted.

While everyone was heading off to shower or sleep with their tired bodies, Seo Jun-seong called out to Su-hyeon.

"Jeong Su-hyeon."

"What?"

"Can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure, why not."

"Not here though, let's go somewhere else."

'......Must be something important.'

Having some idea of what might come up, Su-hyeon nodded.

"Shall we go to the roof?"

"Here."

"Thanks."

After handing Su-hyeon a bottle of water, Seo Jun-seong leaned against the railing, gazing at the sky, and suddenly asked:

"Nam Tae-hoon, did you deliberately let him go?"

'Sharp as ever.'

Su-hyeon smiled faintly and admitted it freely.

"To some extent, I deliberately created an opening. But I was prepared to subdue him if he couldn't escape despite that."

"So you did let him go."

Seo Jun-seong asked, as if he'd expected as much.

"Why? Were you moved by Nam Tae-hoon's circumstances? Did you think about the time you spent together?"

"Are you angry?"

"Angry. Yes. Maybe I am angry. But not just at you."

Seo Jun-seong touched the corner of his mouth, as if uncomfortable with his own emotions and whatever expression might be showing on his face.

"I'm angry at myself too. At my ignorance, my incompetence."

"You're being too hard on yourself. You're doing plenty well."

"I don't want that kind of consolation."

"Look at that pride."

"......Let me ask one more thing. Was letting Nam Tae-hoon go also related to the future you saw?"

"......Unfortunately, no."

But.

"Do you remember the attitude he showed then? He prioritized saving the uncle who raised him over his biological father. Above all, he was angry about the fact that Do Sang-jun had joined hands with the Sword of Belphegor."

"Yes. That's right."

"I felt this wasn't really what he wanted. And if he managed to escape from here, I didn't think his subsequent actions would be hostile to us."

"That's just speculation that it might be the case."

"That's right. That's why I hesitated and created a small chance. He's the one who seized it."

Seo Jun-seong didn't look completely convinced.

"What's clear is that it was a reckless, unauthorized, and selfish action."

"I'm not trying to deny that."

"What if he sides with the Ma-in? What will you do then?"

"Then I'll have to tie up the loose ends myself."

"......I envy that confidence."

Seo Jun-seong gave a bitter smile.

"You're not the type to just envy me though, are you?"

"That's right."

Seo Jun-seong smiled with a soft "huh."

"I'm going to get stronger. The possibilities ahead of me are still infinite."

"I'm sure. I think your talent is as extraordinary as anyone's."

"Are you excluding yourself from that comparison?"

Su-hyeon answered with a smile.

"Not necessarily."

Hong In-hyeon was suffering.

"......Damn it."

He had been used by Nam Tae-hoon.

And he couldn't stop Nam Tae-hoon.

Though he was caught off guard in an unexpected way.

Being subdued and knocked unconscious by Nam Tae-hoon, whom he had privately considered inferior, was a great humiliation.

But what left an even deeper wound in his heart was the fact that he had helped carry out terrorist attacks on the academy and White Castle with his own hands.

If the cadets, including Su-hyeon, hadn't stepped in to resolve the situation?

Would he even be receiving this consideration from the academy now?

Hong In-hyeon was unable to shake the painful and distressing thought that his misjudgment might have caused tremendous casualties.

"......What is it?"

And it was Su-hyeon who came to see him in this state.

"Nothing much."

Su-hyeon answered nonchalantly.

"Just came to see your face."

"Tch."

Hong In-hyeon clicked his tongue at Su-hyeon's normal demeanor, which showed no trace of awkward consolation or cautiousness.

"I heard Nam Tae-hoon escaped?"

"Yeah. I let him go."

"......!?"

Hong In-hyeon's eyes widened at the truth so bluntly confessed.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'll explain."

Su-hyeon gave a brief summary of what had happened.

"......It was a gamble, I suppose. But Nam Tae-hoon probably knows well that I let him go. With his personality, he'll try to repay the debt."

"Debt, huh."

Hong In-hyeon sighed as he recalled Nam Tae-hoon's face.

"......That guy. He was strong. Not just in the sense of having a lot of mana or powerful attacks, but he knew exactly how to effectively take down an opponent."

"Is that what frustrated you?"

"Yeah. It pissed me off. I thought of him as beneath me without even realizing it. And then I ended up being deceived by him and even knocked unconscious."

"So it all comes down to your competitive spirit after all. That's so like you."

Su-hyeon chuckled.

"What's that, are you mocking me?"

"Of course not."

Su-hyeon shook his head.

"But that's a good motivation. Next time you face him, you can win, right?"

"Obviously."

A fire blazed in Hong In-hyeon's eyes.

"I'll pay him back double."

"Good."

Su-hyeon nodded.

"For that to happen, you'll need to get out of confinement first."

"......But honestly, I wouldn't have anything to say no matter what punishment I received. I was even prepared for expulsion."

"Unfortunately, they wouldn't let go of a talent like you so easily."

Su-hyeon chuckled.

"Now stop moping and get ready to enter the dungeon. They said they'll consider the matter closed with that."

And with that, another area-of-effect/aerial combat unit was added to the dungeon suppression team.

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It took until the third day after the incident for the academy to return to its normal schedule as the property damage caused by the demonic beasts was repaired.

And that afternoon.

All cadets of the academy gathered in the main auditorium to participate in a ceremony after completing their daily routines.

"How's the gate status?"

[Still no abnormalities. The dormancy period is expected to continue for up to a week.]

"Good. But we need to maintain maximum alertness and keep observing until the award ceremony is over."

[Understood!]

After checking the security arrangements with utmost care given the importance of the guest, Vice Principal Gong Gi-jeong sighed.

"......I wonder how many years it's been since I've seen Chief of Staff Heo like this."

Chief of Staff Heo Sung-gyeom.

An S+ rank awakened one, known as the strongest not just in Korea but worldwide, and the brain and hand of the Execution Force who handled most practical matters on behalf of the Commander, who was considered the guardian deity of the Execution Force.

The most successful person among all Execution Force members appointed after Principal Min Jeong-gap's era.

Who would have thought he would visit the academy to present medals to the cadets?

[The Chief of Staff is entering. Please welcome him with enthusiastic applause.]

Clap clap clap clap clap!

With applause louder than ever before, Chief of Staff Heo Sung-gyeom entered.

A lean physique, sunken cheeks, and a penetrating gaze that seemed to see through everything.

The extraordinary presence emanating from this man of ordinary build and appearance settled heavily on the audience.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I am Heo Sung-gyeom, Chief of Staff of the Execution Force."

His baritone voice filled the auditorium.

"Today, I am here to honor these heroes, your proud alumni, who have saved countless citizens' lives and property."

The audience's gaze turned to the nine cadets standing at the front.

"Speaking with the authority of the Chief of Staff, I can clearly state that without these nine cadets, the blood and tears our families would have shed would have been truly horrific."

The Chief of Staff's gaze turned to Su-hyeon.

And Su-hyeon did not avoid that gaze.

"The performance these cadets showed at dawn that day made us feel both ashamed and relieved. Our future was right here, shining so brightly."

Click click click!

The Chief of Staff, aware of the reporters busily flashing their cameras, displayed a deliberately kind, professional smile as he delivered his grandiose praise.

"......Therefore, I am here today to present nine medals awarded in the name of the President."

For medal awards to be decided this quickly was unprecedented in the last decade.

One would have to go back to the urgent wartime situation with the Ma-in to find a precedent.

[Representative Jeong Su-hyeon, step forward.]

As Su-hyeon ascended to the stage amidst thunderous applause, the Chief of Staff removed his mask and personally pinned the medal on his chest.

"Congratulations."

"......You're really going all out to promote me, aren't you?"

The Chief of Staff burst into laughter at Su-hyeon's complaint that wasn't quite a complaint.

"Hahaha! It's an honor many would want but can't receive, isn't it? You'll just have to bear with it, Su-hyeon."

"......"

"By the way, I'd like to ask you something while I have the chance. Will you answer truthfully?"

He deliberately slowed his movements as he pinned the medal, drawing out the time.

"Of course."

"What is it that you truly want? Revenge?"

"It is revenge, yet it isn't."

"An interesting answer as expected. Could you elaborate?"

"......What is the end of revenge? Annihilation? Destruction at the end of a chain of revenge and counter-revenge? I don't think that way."

Su-hyeon said.

"If, as I believe, the very existence of demonic beasts and Ma-in is not some naturally created providence but rather an invasion from an outside world."

"If that's the case?"

"Wouldn't this seemingly endless darkness eventually come to an end? If my personal desire for revenge can serve as a spark in that process, then that would be fortunate. That's what I think."

"...An impressive answer. I've heard you well."

The Chief of Staff, after pinning the medal and adjusting Su-hyeon's appearance, took a step back and smiled with satisfaction.

"I sincerely hope that we can walk the same path."

"I hope for that as well."

"It won't be an easy road. I offer my preemptive consolation and gratitude."

"I'm the one who should be grateful for your open-mindedness in listening without prejudice, Chief of Staff."

"Not at all. Though I've aged, my ears haven't gone deaf."

Clap clap clap clap clap.

The two men shook hands amid deafening applause that made even their ears ring.