novelraw Chapter 3 : Chapter 3
Chapter 3 : Chapter 3
Chapter 3. The Beginning of the Main Story (3)
Beep-beep-beep-beep!!!
A loud alarm sound rang out.
At that sound, I had no choice but to wake up from my sleep.
"Fuck......."
Looking at the date, it was Monday.
Finally, the day to attend the Academy for the first time.
However, unlike such a monumental day, my face was covered in dark circles.
"I am~ an extra~ I have no talent~."
A voice crawling slowly out of a powerless body.
To others, it might look like mental illness, but there was a good reason for me acting like this.
I recalled the past two days, specifically that day when I first checked my EX-Class ability.
"It was really good until then......."
[Embodiment of Admiration (EX)]
After confirming the crazy cheat Talent that could implement the abilities of an admired hero just as the name suggested, I thought my mood was flying in the sky.
It would have been the same for anyone, not just me.
I entered a novel, and it allows me to use the power of a hero in the novel; how could one not be happy?
However, it did not take long to realize that reality is not that easy.
"The only registered hero is Kim Su-hyeok......."
When I pressed for details while happily agonizing over whose power to borrow, what was this? The only registered hero was Kim Su-hyeok.
No matter how hard I looked, it was really just Kim Su-hyeok alone.
I was so dumbfounded by that reality that I was truly speechless.
However, if it was just up to there, it is a part I could sufficiently understand.
Didn't it say I cannot use the power of a deceased hero?
If I take the time before I came to this world as the standard, all the heroes except Kim Su-hyeok had died.
"The moment my mental state completely shattered was after that."
I looked at the status window currently floating before my eyes.
[Influence Points: 1,000P]
The status window informing me that I currently possess 1,000 points.
In a way, one might feel it is a large amount of points.
However, as I said earlier, isn't reality always cruel?
[To descend Kim Su-hyeok's complete ability, 100,000 points are required.]
[With the currently possessed points, you can descend 1% of the ability.]
[You can use a penalty to descend 2% of the ability.]
"Fuck."
1%? Is this for real?
In my opinion, even if I used the ability, rather than becoming stronger, it seemed like I would become weaker instead.
...Of course, considering the cheat-like nature of the protagonist's Talent, I might become stronger than now, but it would be far better not to use it at all than to become stronger by the size of a booger.
"The bigger problem there is that I still don't know how to earn Influence Points."
If I only knew exactly how to earn points, my head wouldn't hurt to this extent, but as of now, I have absolutely no clue.
There are many things to consider, but isn't the scope of the word 'Influence' too broad?
Therefore, I diligently investigated and investigated again for the past two days, but no matter what show I put on, the points did not rise.
In such a sad reality, there was regrettably only one action I could take right now.
"Sigh, let's just go to school."
...Which is going to school today, now that it is Monday.
My heart wanted to keep researching these points, but attending school was also an important matter.
Since I have to spend three years mingling with the heroes from now on, the first step is important.
Like that, I let out a deep sigh and trudged toward the portal that leads to the Academy.
***
Hero Academy, Glory.
This military academy, which adopted the word 'Glory' exactly as is, is a truly magnificent academy befitting its arrogant name.
First is its size.
Glory Academy, located on Jeju Island in South Korea, uses the entire land of Jeju Island.
It might sound like nonsense, but it is real.
There is a reason for all of this, so listen for a moment.
First, the existence of vast training facilities.
Befitting one of the top academies worldwide, the convenience facilities and training facilities are flawless enough to be called the best.
Not only are there training facilities that can be used by groups, but places for individual training also amount to nearly several hundred.
If so, naturally, the land the academy uses has no choice but to be vast.
Second, the number of cadets.
This Glory Academy accepts exactly two thousand students per grade.
One thousand combat-related cadets, one thousand non-combat-related cadets. The sum is 2,000.
However, if you grasp the structure of the school, you can know that this number is not small.
Glory Academy's policy is to raise only the best elites.
Then, what is needed to raise the best elites?
The best environment, the best instructors, the best food, etc. would be needed.
If your thoughts have reached that far, do you understand a little now?
It means that tens of thousands of people are invested to raise those few thousand students.
Then, using the entire land of Jeju Island made sense.
"Well, actually, the reason this is maintained is also due to performance."
The real reason Glory Academy can be arrogant is actually separate.
Generally, there is only one reason for an academy that cultivates Players to become famous.
A place that has produced countless Hero Players.
A place that made South Korea a veritable superpower of the world.
That place is precisely Glory Academy.
Just the Hero-grade Players born here number twenty, so that says it all.
Who would express dissatisfaction that such a prestigious academy wants to use Jeju Island alone?
If anyone did express dissatisfaction, it was certain they would be kicked out of the country immediately.
"Phew... I'm nervous."
I am taking the first step to spending three years at such a magnificent academy right now.
Naturally, I had no choice but to be nervous.
I knew roughly about it from reading the novel, but reading and seeing are different.
The saying 'seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times' did not emerge for nothing.
Furthermore, the class I will attend is Year 1, Class A.
It was the class where the protagonist and main supporting characters were, and also the class that would be responsible for most incidents and accidents.
I calmed my pounding heart while standing in front of the door of Class A.
'It is starting.'
I know what kind of events will unfold in the future.
However, things slightly different from the novel will likely happen.
Because the existence called 'Me', who did not appear in the original novel, has been added.
Maintain the exact same flow as the original work?
I have absolutely no intention of doing that.
I must change it for my heroes to live.
I must change it for my heroes to become happy.
Therefore, this door I am opening right now is by no means a small action.
'Still, I cannot be afraid.'
It was only a few days ago that I resolved to change things, so I shouldn't be afraid already.
I took a deep breath once and grabbed the door.
And then, little by little, I opened the door.
Slide.
Then, what I saw was a classroom with scenery reminiscent of a high school.
And the countless gazes of the cadets sitting in their seats... Gazes?
Something about the gazes was slightly stinging; these weren't eyes of curiosity toward a new classmate?
What is it?
Feeling something strange, I was soon able to know the reason for the stinging gazes.
'Oh, fuck.'
It was the front door.
***
Before I knew it, time passed and it was 8 o'clock.
It was time for the beginning of the new semester to open its curtains.
However, I could not lift my bowed head.
'To think it would be the front door. Oh, damn it.'
I hurriedly entered the class and sat in a seat, but I still could not forget it.
Those stinging gazes and the words occasionally heard.
Things like, who is that bastard to enter through the front door, or that they were surprised thinking it was an instructor.
There was no good talk.
An 899th-ranked extra dared to enter through the front door without knowing his place; I am sorry!
Perhaps because I came after living a college life, I had forgotten the sensibilities of a 17-year-old.
But I felt a bit wronged too.
Do they really have to send such stinging gazes just because I entered through the front door?
It was when I was mentally venting my grievances about the world.
Slide, Thud!
The somewhat noisy classroom became quiet.
Because someone entered through the front door.
However, it was not a cadet who confused the doors like me.
"Good morning, everyone."
He stood on the platform, looking at the cadets and offering a morning greeting.
"I don't particularly like chitchat, so let's start with introductions quickly. My name is Im Seong-cheol. I am a top-tier Player and, at the same time, the instructor who will be in charge of you for the next year."
The instructor's introduction was incredibly neat.
Usually, instructors would issue threats to establish dominance.
I liked him for being like that.
'Instructor Im Seong-cheol.'
One of the heroes I admired.
Although he has a blunt impression, he cherished the cadets dearly.
One could tell just by the fact that a top-tier Player took on the role of an instructor.
Originally, once one reaches the top tier, they are treated as a national military asset.
'He eventually died while protecting the cadets.'
In the novel, he was the embodiment of an instructor.
He remained alone to protect the cadets from a Gate that suddenly went berserk, and as a result...
He ended up facing death.
How much I cried that day.
I could still remember the sentences that described his death.
[Even in the moment of dying, he did not collapse. Because there were hundreds of cadets behind him. Because of the foolish disciples who would run back immediately if they saw him collapse, he could not collapse.]
'He is exactly as described in the novel.'
Although he had indifferent eyes, his eyes were moving without rest.
He is probably trying to memorize the faces of the cadets he will be with for a year.
In the process, Im Seong-cheol's eyes stopped for a moment.
I turned my head slightly to check where his eyes had stopped.
Then, what I saw were the main characters.
Kim Su-hyeok with a good-natured smile, Ryu Jin-oh showing off a noble posture in the very back seat.
Ha Eun-ha smiling broadly about something, and Ju Ha-yeon with a cold impression.
They looked like ordinary 17-year-old cadets.
However, to me, they looked very different.
Because I knew of their deaths.
Ha Eun-ha, who lost an arm and bled like a flood.
Ju Ha-yeon, who met a cold death while held in Ryu Jin-oh's embrace.
Ryu Jin-oh, whose chest was pierced but did not give up until the end.
And even Kim Su-hyeok, who wailed insanely amidst that tragedy.
'It's bitter.'
I felt my mind becoming bitter for no reason.
But it is okay. Because it is a future I will change.
Thinking that, the bitter feeling soon disappeared.
'By the way, I am sorry. Kim Su-hyeok.'
My gaze turned toward Kim Su-hyeok again.
He wouldn't know, but I had given up on watching Kim Su-hyeok's narrative.
Because I admired him so much, I didn't want to see his miserable appearance.
'Now, there will be no reason for you to be miserable.'
I will make it so that tragedy does not come.
It won't be easy.
Because the tragedy of that time didn't come suddenly one day, but was a tragedy that came after plausibility piled up and piled up.
Eliminating those plausibilities one by one will be a very difficult path.
'But I will achieve it.'
I will show the reason I came here.
I will protect your happiness without fail.
Of course.
'Before that, I need to do something about myself first.'
Know yourself.
Yes.
First, it was time to practice Socrates' famous saying.......
***
"Since there is dormitory assignment today anyway, the class won't be long."
While I was steeling my resolve, Im Seong-cheol was faithfully performing his duties as an instructor.
"So, I will only do the most important thing today and finish, so don't worry."
At Im Seong-cheol's words, the cadets shouted as if excited.
Even though it will be hell starting tomorrow.
'But what on earth is the most important thing?'
My question quickly disappeared.
Because Im Seong-cheol's words were heard immediately.
"You will choose the weapon that will protect your side from now on. There is no limit on the number of weapons, so choose to your heart's content."
At Im Seong-cheol's words, I thought, 'Ah, right.'
If I think about it, it was an obvious matter.
The most important thing for a Player would be a weapon, yet I was asking back about it.
"First, let's have the top ranks choose. Kim Su-hyeok!"
"Yes!"
"Come out and write down the weapon you will use."
At Im Seong-cheol's words, Kim Su-hyeok went up to the platform and wrote down the weapon he would use.
"A one-handed sword? Will just this really be enough?"
"Yes! That is correct!"
Im Seong-cheol frowned slightly at Kim Su-hyeok's confident shout, but soon sent Kim Su-hyeok back without saying anything.
He probably thought it was okay since it is Kim Su-hyeok, even without a secondary armament.
After that, cadets came out one by one and wrote down the weapons they would use.
Ryu Jin-oh chose a two-handed sword, Ha Eun-ha a magic bracelet, and Choi So-yun a bow and dagger.
Like that, countless cadets came out and went back in repeatedly for several minutes.
Before I knew it, my turn approached.
"Choi Yu-seong. Come out and choose a weapon."
"Yes."
At Im Seong-cheol's call, I headed straight to the platform and wrote down the weapon I would use without hesitation.
Then, Im Seong-cheol made the same expression he had when dealing with Kim Su-hyeok earlier.
"A one-handed sword? Is this it?"
"Yes."
However, unlike when Kim Su-hyeok came out, it did not end with just an expression.
"I will ask one more time. Is this really it?"
"Yes......."
Damn it, is this discrimination?
Rank 899 and Rank 1 cannot be placed on the same line. Is it something like that?
...It must be an unavoidable reaction.
Usually, if one adopts a one-handed sword, it is basic for a shield to follow as a set.
Kim Su-hyeok was the peculiar one.
"...Understood. You may go back in."
Eventually, Im Seong-cheol shook his head and sent me back.
Then, snickering laughter was heard from the surroundings.
"Kuhaha! Look at him getting told off for copying Kim Su-hyeok. That's hilarious."
"That guy. I didn't like him from the moment he walked in through the front door."
My face turned red for no reason.
What? Copying Kim Su-hyeok?
What do you want me to do when I've been like this originally?
Even if I learned how to swing a sword with one hand at the dojo, I never learned how to fight wearing a shield.
'These bastards. I remembered all of you.'
The only ones important to me are the heroes I admired.
I don't care what happens to the other guys.
So, I will remember the guys who laughed just now and absolutely will not save them later.
Im Seong-cheol... he is an admired hero, so I should exclude him.
Still, that's minus 1 point.
When I was harboring such petty thoughts, Im Seong-cheol looked around at the cadets and opened his mouth.
"The weapons you chose will be distributed within today. You will have to use them in the Virtual Combat Training occurring in two days, so please maintain them well. Any questions?"
"None, sir!!"
"Good. Then we will end it here for today. Good work."
With those words as the end, Im Seong-cheol left the classroom.
Looking at Im Seong-cheol's back, I had no choice but to make a vow.
'I must do well in the Virtual Combat Training no matter what!'
Im Seong-cheol's gaze, uncomfortable that I didn't choose a secondary armament.
The cadet bastards mocking me, saying I'm copying Kim Su-hyeok because I chose the same weapon.
To screw up the Virtual Combat Training in such a situation?
If I did that, my life at Glory Academy would come to an end on that day.
'Just you wait, you guys!'
I vowed firmly and left the classroom with quick steps.
Fortunately, this time it was the back door.