Chapter 38

< Chapter 38: Falling into the Trap (1) >

The weekend passed by in a flash.

Today is Monday.

I stayed at home all day on Sunday.

To figure out my new trait.

To think about the changes that would happen because of my meeting with Hermit.

To think about the aftermath of the change in my relationship with Choi Ji-hoon.

I lay on the bed and tortured my brain.

First of all, considering Hermit’s position and his way of handling things in the organization.

The probability of my information getting into the organization was very low.

Hermit was the type who finished his work with a report after doing it.

He didn’t tell anyone about the process. He was a thorough outsider in the organization.

He was forced to join the organization by Unknown, so he had no place to belong.

The organization didn’t touch him because they knew he couldn’t betray them because of the curse. That was one of the reasons why his work was done first and reported later.

Anyway, after thinking about it in various ways.

I came to the conclusion that the probability of my information reaching the ears of the organization was close to 0%.

And with the contract of the Great Spirit, I sealed Hermit’s mouth,

I don’t have to worry about my information leaking out of Hermit’s mouth anymore.

On the contrary, I got to get information about the organization through Hermit, so I could say that I turned misfortune into fortune.

If I do well, I might be able to make Hermit my person, who hates the organization.

….But for that, I have to solve Unknown’s curse first.

I know how to solve it, but it’s hard to do it at this stage.

For now, I’ll just maintain my relationship with Hermit…..

“Seo-yul.”

“Huh?”

I woke up from my thoughts at Jia’s sudden words.

“There’s an announcement up.”

“Oh. The school ranking?”

That’s right, today is the day when the ranking is updated.

“What rank are you?”

Jia gave me a faint smile and handed me her smartphone.

On the screen, there was my name and my new ranking.

[Kang Seo-yul]

[497th -> 231st]

“….Wow?”

Isn’t that too drastic of a change?

I felt the eyes of other friends around me. They all looked surprised.

“Awesome.”

“I’ve never seen anyone rise so fast in ranking.”

“Do you think he’ll enter the top 100 next?”

Well, top 100 is…..

Is it possible?

It’s not impossible if I think about the trait of fire spirit that I got this time.

“Ha. Who would have thought that Kang Seo-yul was a talent freak.”

“I know. I’m so jealous.”

“I want to have an attribute magic too.”

They’re saying that Kang Seo-yul is a talent freak. I feel unjustly accused.

I’m a loser without a status window, and they call me a talent freak.

I smiled bitterly.

“Hey hey.”

“Oh. Awesome.”

Suddenly, the classroom became quiet.

That was when it happened.

“?”

I wondered what was going on and looked around. Everyone was looking at the entrance of the classroom.

I also moved my eyes to the entrance.

“…..”

There was Choi Ji-hoon standing there.

Behind him were Kim Chul-jin, who had a devilish expression on his face, and Ha Si-yeon, who looked like she didn’t know what to do.

“Gulp.”

I heard someone swallow dryly. I glanced and saw curious expressions.

Expressions that made me want to give them popcorn.

“They’re not avoiding each other’s eyes.”

“It’s intense.”

“But why did Kang Seo-yul pick a fight with the successor of Suseong Group?”

“What do you mean? Kang Seo-yul is going to join Sinhwa Group after graduation. He must believe that.”

They whispered and looked at me and Choi Ji-hoon alternately.

“Hmm.”

Did he not like this atmosphere?

Choi Ji-hoon snorted and walked confidently toward me.

To be exact, he wasn’t walking towards me, but towards his seat near me.

“…..”

Choi Ji-hoon suddenly stopped in front of me.

I heard someone gasp around me.

“Wow.”

“Are they going to fight now?”

“Well. Choi Ji-hoon can’t just sit still with his pride.”

The atmosphere got hotter.

They say that watching other people fight is the most fun thing in the world, so they must be excited.

Grrrrrr-

I felt some intense pressure and looked at Jia, who was glaring at Choi Ji-hoon like a devil.

She was really scary.

“Uh. What do we do?”

“Let them be. It looks fun.”

Ha Si-yeon and Kim Chul-jin showed their respective reactions behind Choi Ji-hoon.

“….Kang Seo-yul.”

Choi Ji-hoon opened his mouth with a nervous expression.

The sound of swallowing saliva became louder in the silence.

They wouldn’t even pay this much attention to a movie highlight.

“Huh.”

But what do I do about this?

You guys won’t get what you’re expecting.

“Good morning.”

“Yeah. Did you rest well on the weekend?”

At that moment, the atmosphere in the classroom turned cold in an instant.

“….?”

Jia looked at Choi Ji-hoon as if he had eaten something wrong.

“What kind of conversation did you have with that jerk?”

She looked at him with disbelief in her eyes. Kim Chul-jin, Ha Si-yeon, and the other classmates all focused their eyes on me.

“Just.”

I shrugged and brushed it off.

“Talk about the world?”

* * *

The science class on Monday morning was over. The afternoon was scheduled for outdoor classes all day.

“Today, we’re going to do a 1:1 combat training with virtual monsters.”

The instructor in charge was Pi Jin-ho.

“I analyzed your data and set up suitable monsters for each of you.”

Pi Jin-ho smiled heartily.

It might look like a friendly smile to others, but I was not fooled.

That’s the expression he usually makes when he enjoys seeing me suffer during training.

In other words, he’s full of thoughts to torture us.

“Of course, since I based it on your weaknesses, it’s going to be pretty hard. It’s a training to test your crisis management skills.”

“Ah…”

“Damn…”

See?

He’s excited to torture us.

“First, cadet Seo Su-han. Get ready to enter.”

“Yes!”

“The monster you’ll face is a steel claw.”

“….Did I hear that wrong?”

Cadet Seo Su-han uses a spear.

However, he hasn’t reached the level of infusing magic into his spear yet.

And the trait of the steel claw is that it has high resistance to piercing attacks.

It’s a perfect counter.

Seo Su-han has no chance of beating the steel claw.

“I didn’t tell you this.”

Looking at confused everyone, Pi Jin-ho smiled even more brightly.

It makes people uneasy.

“There will be special points awarded to the cadets who win in this training. So try your best.”

At that moment, everyone’s eyes changed. Special points. The magic word that made even the nonexistent will sprout.

“Oh, by the way. One more thing.”

His smile became brighter.

I’m nervous.

“The passing rate of this training is 2.98%.”

“Ah.”

“Crazy.”

At that moment, the soaring will plummeted to the ground.

“I heard from my senior that it’s really hard to hit the weak spot properly.”

“They say it’s a training to break your pride.”

[Steel claw creation complete.]

[Virtual combat will begin in 10 seconds.]

“It’s starting.”

Sure enough,

Cadet Seo Su-han started to suffer without being able to counter properly.

“Just don’t win.”

“Tsk.”

The cadets lost their will early on.

But my will soared higher and higher without knowing it.

“Instructor.”

I raised my hand.

“What is it?”

“How many special points will be given?”

“You’re confident.”

There was a gleam in the instructor’s eyes.

“You’re ranked 231st, right?”

“Yes.”

He’s accurate.

“Then you’ll be able to go up to around 170th.”

“….That much?”

“That’s how hard this training is.”

Pi Jin-ho smiled slyly.

A smile that makes people uncomfortable.

He knows me very well.

He set up a monster that I can never beat.

He’s evil. Evil.

“I see.”

“You don’t look fazed. Do you have a hidden trick?”

Pi Jin-ho looked at me with a curious expression.

I shrugged nonchalantly.

[Cadet Seo Su-han retired.]

Just then, Seo Su-han was sliced by the steel claw and left.

“Good. Then next, cadet Kang Seo-yul. Go ahead.”

“Yes.”

I checked my short sword and dagger.

“The monster you’ll face is a sun lion.”

As he said that, there was a buzz in the room.

“Wow. Awesome.”

“A sun lion? That’s the one with fire immunity, high durability and stamina as its strengths.”

“Wow. That’s too much.”

Sun lion.

As expected of Pi Jin-ho.

He knows me very well.

He put in a monster that I can never beat.

“That’ll be easy.”

“What?”

But that’s based on my data from last Friday.

“One minute should be enough.”

I walked leisurely into the facility.

As I walked, I tightened my black glove on my right hand again.

As I tightened it, a faint green glow flowed between the glove.

[Cadet Kang Seo-yul entered.]

“Good.”

Let me show you the power of the fire spirit.

[Sun lion. Creating.]

* * *

After Kang Seo-yul disappeared.

The cadets who remained in their seats were having a conversation.

“What kind of confidence is that?”

“How can he beat a sun lion? He’s completely outmatched by the attribute.”

It was more accurate to call it gossip than a conversation.

“He’s been arrogant lately because people are hyping him up.”

“But still, not a sun lion.”

“Isn’t he too cocky? He’s asking for trouble.”

They were already annoyed by Kang Seo-yul, who suddenly got the spotlight,

They thought it was a good thing.

Let him be humiliated.

That was the thought of most of the cadets.

But some of the cadets were different.

“What do you think?”

Kim Chul-jin asked.

“Seo-yul isn’t the type to say that without confidence, right?”

“Right.”

Ha Si-yeon nodded.

“Maybe he has a hidden card or something?”

She didn’t know for sure, but Kang Seo-yul said he would win, so it must be a foregone conclusion.

She was sure of that.

“What about you, Ji-hoon?”

Kim Chul-jin raised his eyebrows and asked. He looked like he was expecting what Choi Ji-hoon would say.

“He’ll win.”

“….What?”

He was surprised by the unexpected answer.

“Are you really sick or something?”

Kim Chul-jin put his hand on Choi Ji-hoon’s forehead with a look of pity.

“Stop messing around.”

Choi Ji-hoon avoided his hand and said indifferently.

“I just acknowledged his skills, that’s all.”

“….Wow.”

Ha Si-yeon and Kim Chul-jin’s eyes widened.

“No way. Choi Ji-hoon…. grew up?”

“Ji-hoon…..”

Soon, Kim Chul-jin changed to a desperate expression.

Ha Si-yeon changed to a touched expression.

Shin Jia, who was secretly listening to their conversation, was also surprised.

‘What did he do to make that jerk like that…..’

She was amazed and admired at the same time.

‘He’s truly my ancestor.’

He probably decided that it wasn’t good to be hostile with Choi Ji-hoon, and acted on it.

But who would have thought that he could move Choi Ji-hoon’s heart like that?

He’s really perfect in everything.

This is the difference between the vessels.

“Sigh.”

Then she suddenly sighed.

Kang Seo-yul declared that he would beat the sun lion.

That means he’s going to reveal his power other than fire magic.

‘….Please don’t use another attribute magic.’

According to the legend, elves could use dual or triple attributes.

If Kang Seo-yul shows water or ice magic, which are the weaknesses of the sun lion, here…

‘….I don’t even want to imagine.’

A superhuman with dual attributes.

The attention would be incomparable to now.

‘Please.’

Shin Jia prayed earnestly.

Please don’t do anything weird, Kang Seo-yul.

[Sun lion creation complete.]

[Virtual combat will begin in 10 seconds.]

“It’s starting!”

“Just don’t catch it. I’ll post it on SNS right away.”

“Oh. Me too.”

The countdown went on with the murmurs of the cadets.

[7, 6, 5]

And at that moment when it reached 5.

Whooooosh-!

Flames erupted from the dagger and short sword that Kang Seo-yul was holding in each hand.

“Hey.”

“What.”

Everyone was disappointed.

What? It’s fire after all?

What fire for a sun lion?

Is he just showing off his strength?

Let him be humiliated.

They were full of negative thoughts.

[3, 2]

“Hey? Wait a minute.”

Then someone shouted suddenly.

“The color of the fire is…. a bit weird, isn’t it?”

Please buy me a coffee…