Chapter 11 - Hunter Training Pilot High School (2)

Chapter 11: Hunter Training Pilot High School (2)TL: SHW

Two days later.

“That sword is nice.”

Hong Seok-young spoke from the driver’s seat.

“It’s picky about its owner too. Thanks to that, several people went to the hospital.”

I glanced at Yoo Ji-eun’s sword lying in the backseat.

“Is that so?”

“There aren’t many swords that picky about their owner.”

Yoo Ji-eun’s sword was famous for being as temperamental as its owner. If someone other than the owner touched it, it would burn them.

Originally, I couldn’t use it either. Yoo Ji-eun’s mana and mine don’t mesh well. Naturally, the sword didn’t like me.

“Is it your sword?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“It belongs to someone I know.”

The only reason I can use the sword now is because Yoo Ji-eun transferred ownership to me just before she died.

“Did you steal it?”

“Then I’d have been burned too.”

“True.”

Hong Seok-young didn’t ask any more questions. Anyway, I had no intention of answering. It’s not like it’s a pleasant story.

I turned my gaze to the window. The streets were still chaotic, likely due to the aftermath of the Myeong-dong Dungeon.

Even though I helped reduce the damage, casualties couldn’t be avoided. At this point, not only the rights of the Awakened but everything is lacking. It’s difficult to accurately account for the damage to civilians. It’ll probably stay that way for a while.

“So….”

Hong Seok-young broke the silence, seemingly uncomfortable with it.

“Have you thought about what you’re going to teach the kids?”

“You told me to teach Runes.”

“That’s right.”

“Then I’ll teach Runes, what else.”

“No, I mean what kind of runes… Ahem.”

Hong Seok-young pointed to the sword in the backseat.

“You’re not sulking because I didn’t return it, are you?”

“Even if you gave it back, I can’t use it because of the mana control device.”

“You’re sulking.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I said I’m not.”

Hong Seok-young chuckled.

“Even if you can’t use your abilities, a blade is a blade. At our school, blades are prohibited. Even in class, we use blunt ones.”

Hunter Academy was like that too.

But that’s….

“Is it just the students?” Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ N0vᴇlFirᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“No. I also use blunt ones at school.”

When I looked at him in surprise, Hong Seok-young looked back at me equally surprised.

“That’s enough when teaching kids.”

“Well… I guess so.”

“Anyway, you’re teaching Runes, so you won’t need a weapon.”

“Just say you don’t want to give a suspicious guy like me a weapon, even if he’s teaching.”

“It’s not exactly that.”

But he didn’t completely deny it either.

He’s really such a bothersome person…

Of course, if I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t give someone like me any weapons either.

I sighed inwardly.

As we exchanged short remarks, the car continued driving down the road without stopping.

The scenery outside the window gradually changed. The dense forest of buildings disappeared, and the building heights gradually lowered, eventually vanishing.

The road was the same. Instead of straight asphalt road, a bumpy dirt road appeared.

…Was the road to the pilot high school always like this?

The Hunter Academy hasn’t changed its location. Although it’s a bit far from Seoul, it wasn’t this rural. If anything, the commercial area around the academy developed.

Hmm.

I keep setting my standards to 2041. This is 2021. The pilot high school was just established, so it makes sense that there’s nothing around.

Even considering that, there’s absolutely nothing here.

“Is this the right road?”

Feeling uneasy, I asked just in case.

“Yes.”

Hong Seok-young answered quickly. His swift response made me more uneasy.

He’s not deceiving me and taking me somewhere else, right?

“This area has many Dungeons, so development is restricted. That’s why it looks like this.”

“Ah.”

That’s right.

Before the mana meter was created, the area near dungeons was considered an avoidance zone. Nobody wanted to live next to a surprise box from which monsters could pop out at any moment.

But it was just right for training Hunters. Practical training was convenient too. Even those who were skeptical about establishing the pilot high school were convinced when they heard about the location. Who would object to having Hunters stationed next to a dungeon?

Twenty years later, all the dungeons in this area were closed. That’s why I had forgotten about it.

“We’re here.”

Hong Seok-young stopped the car.

It was after we had traveled further on the winding dirt road.

“…Is this the place?”

I got out of the car hesitantly.

Given the circumstances, the pilot high school couldn’t get support and the director had to solve it with his own money. That’s why he sometimes referred to that period as volunteer work.

No matter how lucrative the Hunter profession is, a school is still a bottomless money pit.

I know that too. But even so, this is…

“Haha. It’s too desolate, right?”

Hong Seok-young laughed beside me.

This can’t be described as just desolate. It’s beyond desolate to the point where there’s nothing at all.

It’s an empty field surrounded by a wide expanse of reeds. Somehow, a bleak wind is blowing from somewhere.

The clearing is large. The reeds seem to have been cut down randomly, and piles of cut reeds are scattered around. And next to that, there are three containers lined up. All three are office containers with windows.

“The buildings will start going up next year.”

“Is this… really a school?”

“It’s temporary buildings.”

“And you want me to teach here?”

“Beginnings are always humble.”

“…….”

This kind of thing isn’t in the textbooks. The director never mentioned it either.

These… containers are supposed to be a school?

Hong Seok-young grinned.

“Welcome to the Hunter Training Pilot High School, Teacher Woo.”

* * *

“Alright, pay attention.”

There were eight kids gathered closely together in the container classroom. I had seen five of them before.

A short boy sitting in the front was squirming. Lee Seung-yeon was glancing back and forth between my face and Hong Seok-young’s face. His face was flushed.

He seemed deeply impressed by my kindness… or rather, my scheme. Otherwise, it would have been unfair.

“This is Teacher Woo Hwijae, who will be in charge of Seo-hyun and Jin-woo from today. Some of you might recognize him, but don’t bother him too much. Got it?”

Hong Seok-young introduced me casually.

Frankly, it was too brief. I went through so much trouble saving those kids; he could’ve given a more… dramatic introduction, you know.

“Teacher!”

Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, as Lee Seung-yeon shot his hand up.

At the same time, Oh Hyun-wook, who was sitting with a sullen face, also raised his hand.

“Yes, Hyun-wook?”

Hong Seok-young naturally ignored Lee Seung-yeon and called on Oh Hyun-wook.

“When I saw him, that man used a sword. He’s not a mage.”

“Hmm. That’s true. Teacher Woo isn’t a mage.”

“Then why is he in charge of Seo-hyun and Jin-woo?”

“Because he’s going to teach Runes. I went through a lot of trouble to bring him here.”

Then Choi Jin-woo raised his hand. Lee Seung-yeon still had his hand raised.

“The Mana Concealment Rune? Or a new Rune?”

“A new one. It’ll be more than helpful for you two, so don’t doze off and listen carefully.”

“Isn’t that really amazing? Is it okay to just teach us like this?!”

“It’s okay, otherwise I wouldn’t teach you. Why, do you not want it?”

“No!! I’m really happy!!!”

Then a student sitting next to Choi Jin-woo, whose name I didn’t know, interrupted.

“Teacher, can only mages take that class?”

“It’s not limited to mages, but… only Seo-hyun and Jin-woo can draw the Runes?”

When was the Mana Pen invented? Should I just introduce that too?

Even if a proper mana pen is out of reach, I can still introduce the primitive methods Hunters use in emergencies.

That should be sufficient for this era.

“Anyone who wants to listen can. Our school allows free class hours anyway. Learning anything would be helpful.”

Lee Seung-yeon raised his hand again. This time, he jumped in without waiting.

“Mis… Teacher, were you hurt anywhere back then?”

Such a kind kid. Worrying about my well-being. He’s on a different level compared to the Hunters twenty years from now.

Lee Seung-yeon spoke with a tearful face.

“Teacher, how could you just leave like that! We were really worried!”

“That’s right. We were really worried.”

Yoo Hye-eun, who was next to Lee Seung-yeon in Myeong-dong, also chimed in with concern.

These kids are so innocent. Even Hong Seok-young, who didn’t anticipate the kids’ concern, had his eyes wide open.

Usually, among Hunters, nobody asks about your well-being like this. If you die, it’s your fault, and your share of the loot is mine. If you live, it’s because of me, so your bag is mine.

I think there was a student in the first batch who got betrayed and killed by his party in a dungeon… it’s been so long that I don’t remember well. I should check with the mana watch later.

“We asked the teacher to find out about you, but the teacher didn’t tell us anything! Even my aunt said she didn’t know…”

“We were really worried something might have happened to you…”

“Are you really okay? You’re not hurt?”

Seung-yeon and Hye-eun babbled on, not seeming like they would calm down anytime soon. After a while, Choi Jin-woo also joined in. Hyun-wook watched with folded arms but didn’t stop them… and Park Seo-hyun.

“…….”

What’s wrong with her?

Park Seo-hyun, who usually had a pale face, was now sitting in a corner, looking even paler. Her long hair, which looked nice in Myeong-dong, was now messy and disheveled. Her lips were chapped and had scabs, probably from biting them.

This isn’t the Park Seo-hyun I saw in Myeong-dong. She looks more like the gloomy woman, the witch Park Seo-hyun, I know.

It’s been barely ten days since Myeong-dong. What on earth happened?

* * *

‘Tsk. Mages. You drew that part wrong.’

The man who had been unconscious on the building floor pointed out from behind.

Park Seo-hyun gritted her teeth and erased the Rune she was drawing. Choi Jin-woo, who was drawing Runes next to her, also crumpled his paper.

Only six to go. They just need to draw six properly.

She didn’t want to belittle her friend, but she had learned magic from her grandfather, after all. Meanwhile, Jin-woo awakened only last year and had never properly used magic before entering the pilot high school. She should be better than Jin-woo.

If this Rune really hides mana as that suspicious man said, it would cause a significant ripple.

‘Seo-hyun, can you check my Rune?’

‘Hmm… it looks like this part is a bit off.’

‘Really?! Ah, you’re right. Should I fix it like this?’

‘It looks fine… but did you ask that man?’

‘I wanted to check with you first.’

Seeing him smile shyly made her reluctant to say anything critical.

Park Seo-hyun just nodded and focused on drawing the Rune.

The blank paper was filled with Runes. Although not complicated, she couldn’t afford to draw them carelessly, knowing her friends’ lives depended on it. She repeatedly drew, corrected, and redrew until she finally started drawing the Runes on her friends’ foreheads.

‘Jin-woo, are you okay?’

Park Seo-hyun looked at Jin-woo, who was sweating profusely as he drew the Rune on her forehead.

‘It’s really hard to move mana. It looked easy when you did it.’

‘My grandfather taught me when I was little. You just handle Hyun-wook. I’ll draw the Rune for Seung-yeon.’

‘Um… Isn’t it hard for you? No, I’ll do it.’

‘I’ve been a mage longer than you, right? Don’t worry. We also need to use shields later, so don’t tire yourself out before we even start.’

Earlier, the man had clicked his tongue while watching her draw the Rune. It was proof that she was doing it right. If that’s the case, then she—what I’m doing….

She had been too confident.

Her grandfather had said the same thing.

Arrogance ruins everything.

Park Seo-hyun was at the forefront. Because there were many civilians, the procession was long. She didn’t hear the commotion at the back.

She only found out what had happened after they arrived at City Hall.

After seeing the tear-streaked face of her friend.

‘The Rune didn’t activate?’

Arrogance ruins everything.

Seung-yeon said it was okay, that thanks to it everyone could be safe, but she couldn’t forgive herself.

“This is Teacher Woo Hwijae, who will be in charge of Seo-hyun and Jin-woo from today.”

The man who had saved Seung-yeon and disappeared into the herd of cows that day walked in following the teacher.

‘You drew that part wrong.’

The voice that had echoed in her mind for the past ten days rang in her ears again.

Park Seo-hyun bit her lip. Blood oozed from the wound that hadn’t healed.