novelraw Chapter 19 : Chapter 19
Chapter 19 : Chapter 19
Chapter 19. I Admire You (4)
'That is a relief.'
I felt relieved while looking at Do Gang-ho's changed appearance.
Even though Lee Ho-jae had some level of skill as a Player, he was still an inexperienced cadet at best.
I felt even more so seeing improvement in Do Gang-ho, who kept shrinking back somewhat even though it was not an unwinnable fight in the first place.
Perhaps the thought that rebelling against Lee Ho-jae would also harm his family still lingered in his subconscious.
'However, it is still ambiguous to say that the situation has improved.'
Of course, it was true that he was better than before.
But it was only an improvement; it was a situation that was hard to see as good.
Do Gang-ho was enduring several times more attacks just to land a single successful blow.
Watching Do Gang-ho like that naturally made my expression crumple.
'Things like this should not be happening in the first place.'
Glory was undeniably a world-class Player training academy.
To think that such an incident was occurring despite it being such a world-class academy, it was a part that showed just how rotten this world was becoming.
'Did it say roughly half?'
The number of Glory officials involved in the corruption and irregularities described in the novel.
Of course, one might feel that the number 'half' was small.
However, if it was half at an academy called the best in the world, that was a different story.
'Because Players are more important existences than anything else in this world.'
A world where Gates occurred frequently, and one could only survive if the places that turned into Dungeons were periodically cleared out.
In such a world, it was unacceptable for the place that trained Players to be this corrupt.
Furthermore, the other half merely did not participate; if one were to sift out the truly decent people among them, it was clear that very few would be left.
'Still, it is a problem that can be fixed by changing it, so there is no need to be impatient.'
Given my current position, it would be impossible in a short amount of time, but it was not something that could not be changed.
It was when I was organizing my future plans in my head like that.
"Damn it!! You are still holding out after getting beaten up that much? Just what are you!"
Lee Ho-jae's impatient shout was heard from afar.
I could easily deduce the situation just from that shout alone.
'He must be having trouble because of Do Gang-ho's talent.'
The name of the talent Do Gang-ho possessed was 'Physical Enhancement'.
There was no need to add any other explanation; it was literally a simple talent.
However, that did not mean it was bad.
Because in terms of a game, it was a talent with functions like 'Damage Reduction' or 'Damage Boost'.
Do Gang-ho was probably enduring Lee Ho-jae's attacks using that talent.
It was a truly decent talent.
However, there were definitely regrettable aspects as well.
'It must be the rank of the talent after all.'
The Physical Enhancement that Do Gang-ho possessed was merely an E-Rank.
It was a rank that one could not call good even as a joke.
Therefore, the increase in stats gained from the talent was so miniscule that it could practically be considered non-existent.
And yet Lee Ho-jae was gradually showing signs of being pushed back?
This fact meant only one thing.
'He must be gritting his teeth and enduring what the talent cannot cover.'
It was a truly Do Gang-ho-like strategy.
Some might call it ignorant behavior, but my thoughts were different.
Because every single one of those trivial aspects gathered together and ultimately created the hero known as Do Gang-ho.
Therefore, I tried to quietly watch their battle with bated breath.
Yes, I 'tried' to watch.
That was until Lee Ho-jae made an unexpected move that he should not have made.
"Ha! F*ck, let us see if you can withstand this too. Gang-ho!"
Lee Ho-jae pulled something out from his embrace, looking as if he were drenched in madness.
I could not help but be shocked upon seeing the true identity of that item.
'That crazy son of a b*tch!'
No one else other than me showed any notable reaction.
It was understandable; Do Gang-ho and Lee Ho-jae's lackeys probably did not know what that was.
However, as someone who knew the true identity of the liquid inside that small glass bottle, I could not help but involuntarily grind my teeth.
'Where on earth did he get the Blue Nightmare from!'
Blue Nightmare.
It was a liquid characterized by its dark blue color, extracted from the mana spewing out of Gates, and it was an item that was not widely known at this time.
However, after a certain incident later on, its infamy would spread widely across the world.
'The death of a Hero-Rank Player.'
Of course, it did not kill them directly.
Because Blue Nightmare did not possess the toxicity to kill a person.
But why would it be called a nightmare? It was because it possessed a far more atrocious effect than that.
'Those struck by the Blue Nightmare slowly have their mana solidify until they can eventually no longer use it.'
What that meant was huge.
Mana was unconditionally required to use a talent, but what if one could not use mana?
To a Player, that was no different from the word 'death'.
'How on earth does he have that?'
As I said earlier, it was an item that was not widely known at this time.
Even though he was a villain, it was not something Lee Ho-jae, who had the mere status of a cadet, should possess.
I thought about the reason for a moment but immediately shook my head.
'I do not have time to agonize over this!'
If things went wrong, Do Gang-ho's life as a Player could end.
No, it was certain that it would definitely end.
Because even though Do Gang-ho was a physical-type Player, it did not mean he did not use mana at all.
Thinking so, the conclusion came easily.
'Let us kill him.'
It was not an emotional conclusion reached from being maddened by anger.
Of course, things would immediately become complicated.
Because a cadet killing another cadet within the academy was something that would cause a massive social uproar.
Even if things went well, it would almost certainly be expulsion with a one hundred percent probability.
'Still, killing him is much better.'
Even if I were expelled, it did not mean there was no next step.
If I explained about the Blue Nightmare, I would avoid going to prison, and I could just work as a mercenary or a wandering Player afterward.
It was a shame that I would not be able to keep my promise to entrust things to Do Gang-ho, and that I would not be able to watch the heroes' growth by their side, but it could not be helped.
Because it was better than keeping a guy alive who might become an unknown threat later on.
Having made that decision, I immediately pushed the borrowed ability of Shin Yu-hwan to its limits.
To eliminate him at once without even giving him a chance to react.
However, my resolute determination could not be realized.
FWOOSH!
Because there was someone who stopped Lee Ho-jae a step faster than me.
"Kkeuaaak! What is this!!"
Lee Ho-jae suffered in agony from the blue flames spreading from his hand.
I kept my mouth shut while watching those blue flames that showed no signs of extinguishing even in the fierce rainstorm.
Because I knew who the owner of those flames was.
"Cadet Choi Yu-seong."
At the profound voice coming from behind my back, I slowly turned my head.
Then, the man I had faced time and time again since coming to this world entered my vision.
'How did he know about this place...?'
Im Seong-cheol.
In the direction I turned my head, my instructor and the hero I admired, Im Seong-cheol, was slowly approaching while cloaking his entire body in Blue Flames.
***
Im Seong-cheol, draped in intense blue flames, had somehow approached right up to where I was standing.
He stared at me wordlessly for a moment before opening his mouth.
"Someone told me. They said, 'Just how rotten is the academy that a cadet asks me for a favor instead of an instructor?'"
I did not show it on my face at Im Seong-cheol's words, but I could not help being quite surprised inwardly.
The only person I had separately asked for a favor was Shin Yu-hwan.
Which meant that the person who told Im Seong-cheol such a story was Shin Yu-hwan.
'Does that mean the two of them originally knew each other?'
I had no idea because it was a detail not covered in the novel.
Perhaps if Im Seong-cheol had not brought this up now, I might never have known.
"I had nothing to say after hearing that. No matter how I try to make excuses, it is a fact that I failed to fulfill my role as an instructor."
Im Seong-cheol seemed to be blaming himself. I immediately tried to express my denial at his words.
Completely forgetting the fact that I had been caught violating the school rules and contacting the outside.
Because he was one of the few righteous people in this utterly rotten academy.
However, Im Seong-cheol continued speaking without even giving me the chance to do so.
"So I must properly show it, even if it is only from now on. What the reason for an instructor's existence is."
A voice so sharp that one would believe it had a physical blade.
Considering Im Seong-cheol's usually profound and calm demeanor, it felt like looking at a different person.
Aside from Lee Ho-jae, who was gasping and spewing screams at that sight, no one else opened their mouth.
Lee Ho-jae's lackeys must have instinctively known as well.
That if they spouted any useless words, those flames would target them next.
Matching that atmosphere, I also did not open my mouth, but I could not help feeling curious inwardly.
'Just what did he hear from Shin Yu-hwan to go that far?'
It was a natural question for me.
Because the Im Seong-cheol I knew was a person who tried to embrace and guide even cadets who made mistakes.
For him to show such a brutal side against a cadet.
I could not quite imagine what kind of conversation had taken place between the two of them.
It was then.
Im Seong-cheol looked around and soon spotted Do Gang-ho, then spoke in a gentler voice than before.
"Are you Cadet Do Gang-ho?"
"...Yes."
"I see. First of all, I am sorry."
It was a tone of voice that seemed no different from before, but I could feel the subtle difference.
'It is mixed with guilt.'
In fact, Im Seong-cheol had done nothing wrong.
Because neither Lee Ho-jae nor Do Gang-ho were cadets under Im Seong-cheol's charge.
So how could Im Seong-cheol know their situation in detail and handle it?
If there was a fault, it lay with the instructor in charge of the two, not Im Seong-cheol at all.
However, Im Seong-cheol continued the conversation as if it was an apology he naturally had to make.
"I do not know what kind of suffering you, Cadet, have gone through. However, I do know that your suffering stemmed from the instructors' neglect."
"......"
"Therefore, this instructor intends to correct that mistake. That is, if you will allow it."
At Im Seong-cheol's pledge, Do Gang-ho agonized silently before finally opening his tightly shut mouth.
"...Can you really correct it?"
I was a little surprised by Do Gang-ho's answer.
Because I had not expected the conclusion to head in a positive direction.
'Does this mean Do Gang-ho is also still a vulnerable cadet?'
If it had been the Do Gang-ho in the original work, he would never have trusted Im Seong-cheol in this situation.
Because it was Do Gang-ho's iron rule to never again give trust to an existence that had betrayed him once.
The existence that betrayed him here referred to the entity called 'instructors', not Im Seong-cheol.
Since to Do Gang-ho, Im Seong-cheol would be nothing more than just another instructor.
'That might actually be Do Gang-ho's original personality.'
It could be that his personality had completely changed due to the continuous string of misfortunes.
If so, I had to protect that side of him as well.
Because what I want is to prevent the repetition of the heroes' lives filled with suffering and tragedy.
It was when I was making a resolute determination inwardly like that.
"Then I will leave it in your care."
"Alright. I promise that absolutely no harm will come to you, Cadet. And you should get treated right away. You have many wounds."
"...Understood."
It seemed their conversation had finished at some point, as Do Gang-ho began to step back.
It seemed they had reached a conclusion that Im Seong-cheol would take charge of handling the rest.
'Then my role ends here too.'
If Im Seong-cheol was stepping up, there was no longer any place for me to intervene.
Furthermore, since Shin Yu-hwan seemed to have actively intervened as well, there would be no problems causing future trouble.
As I thought so, pain began to rise up from my entire body little by little.
It seemed that as soon as my brain recognized the situation had ended, the penalty began.
"Keugh!"
I tried not to show it, but a groan leaked out due to the overwhelmingly severe pain.
This somehow felt even more painful than the first day I used the talent.
They say one usually gets used to it after receiving it repeatedly, but it seemed that level of pain did not apply here.
"Huuu."
Just as I was barely holding onto my consciousness, trying to endure until I returned to the dormitory like that, someone hoisted me up.
As I laboriously lifted my head to check my side, Do Gang-ho was there.
"Suspicious guy, why are you in so much pain when you did not even get hit anywhere?"
It felt like Do Gang-ho's words were echoing in my head.
But I could not show that I was hurting to the point of dying.
I threw in a joke while speaking to look as fine as possible.
"Talent penalty. If I did not have something like this, would I be in 899th place...? I would have already snatched the first-place spot."
"Hmm, that is true."
Do Gang-ho pondered for a moment before nodding his head.
He probably thought about it for a few seconds and then stopped because it was bothersome.
How very like Do Gang-ho.
"Still, it is bearable, so you can put me down."
"That will not do."
"...What?"
"It would be troublesome if something major happened after I carelessly left you alone. Even if you are suspicious, it is a fact that you helped me, and besides..."
Do Gang-ho trailed off and looked at me.
With an incredibly serious gaze.
"I have quite a lot to ask you. So stay quietly on my back."
At those words, I thought that what was bound to come had finally arrived.
The things I had said as if I knew Do Gang-ho too well, and suddenly coming to him and saying I would help.
It was natural since, from Do Gang-ho's perspective, he would not have felt any plausibility from my existence.
Still, I had an answer prepared, so it would be fine.
Thinking so, I laboriously spat out my words.
"Then I will rely on you..."
"Alright."
Do Gang-ho seemed to have said something more after that, but I could not understand it.
Because I could no longer hold on.
I lost consciousness at the end of that short conversation.