Chapter 24

The Reincarnated Person Became A Professor At The Academy 24

24 – If I don’t do it, who will?

The dungeon we’re heading to this time is quite unique.

It’s because of the structure of the castle.

Starting from the outer and inner courts to the castle walls.

“It’s a complete castle.”

I glanced at the messages displayed on the status window.

《The dungeon has been conquered.》

《You can leave at any time.》

A message declaring the completion of the dungeon conquest.

“This place is fascinating.”

“There are many places like dungeons. That’s because dungeons are brought from a lost world.”

“Lost world?”

“A desolate world where everything has been lost due to the invasion of demons. It reflects some of those things.”

Yoo Eun-chae explained quietly.

“This world is a world where a great rupture has occurred. Multiple dimensions overlap, creating a tremendous rupture. Do you know the place called the boundary?”

It was a familiar term.

The principal had mentioned that place before.

“All those called transcendent beings are currently in that place. Unless you are at the level of a transcendent being, you can’t even step foot there. So, from the perspective of the present, just being considered exceptional puts tremendous strain on the shoulders.”

Ah.

So that’s why the shoulders of those professors were so burdened.

“However, it’s not like transcendent beings are completely uninvolved. Because, occasionally, there is a period of existence, and they come to rest during that time.”

“Is that so?”

Well, even if one sheds the human shell, they can’t keep running endlessly without a break.

Even transcendent beings have to rest when it’s time to rest, eat when it’s time to eat, and play when it’s time to play.

“But... are there monsters in a place like this?”

The land was rugged.

Blood-soaked, it seems nothing like crops would grow here.

Even monsters, as bizarre life forms, need to consume something.

“Creatures like Land Wyrms, surviving by ingesting soil, wouldn’t last in a place like this.”

Because the ground was so barren.

In this desolate land, nothing could survive.

Except, perhaps, for the undead who had lost their intellect.

“Ah, that won’t be a problem. Monsters here respawn.”

“They respawn?”

“It’s like dungeons here reset memories. Once a dungeon is cleared, it continuously spawns monsters for that reason.”

“But can’t those monsters go outside?”

“No.”

Yoo Eunchae’s words raised doubts about the dungeon.

Because that thing called a dungeon.

“...Isn’t it too conveniently tailored for humanity?”

And creating pioneers for humanity, it seemed to push power onto them.

I’ll have to look into this properly later.

“But how are you going to conduct the test?”

“Well...”

Only four have mastered the basics of mana manipulation.

No, more like 3.5 people.

My eyes shifted elsewhere.

Seon Woo-hyun.

Maybe it’s his unique trait.

I let the mana around me flow into the wind.

“...!”

But he didn’t catch on.

On the other hand, Yoo Eun-chae did.

“Just now?”

“Releasing mana. It’s just one way of sensing. There’s no harm in learning.”

Yoo Eun-chae’s face brightened at my words.

“I got something more useful than I thought,” she said.

“Of course, I taught you.”

Seon Woo-hyun put it on hold for now.

I sent mana on the wind to others as well.

Abel reacted first.

Then, Wigun-ak.

Both of them looked at me with curiosity.

Then glanced to the side.

A woman with silver hair.

The man known as Shin Yura was staring at Yoo Eunchae, jotting something down in a notebook.

Watching him, Yoo Eunchae sneered with displeasure.

“He really has a bad personality.”

But that’s what makes him interesting.

“And there’s something you should know.”

“What is it?”

“Now, slowly, it’s time for the betrayers hidden in the shadows of humanity to reveal themselves.”

“Betrayers?”

“Yes. Those who entertain unconventional thoughts.”

“Are they similar to demons?”

“Well, a little different. Demons are beings born to destroy the world.”

“What about those who give unconventional thoughts?”

“They are different. They see humans as toys and enjoy inflicting pain on them.”

“Similar to demons then?”

“...The outcome is a bit different. While demons and devils instinctively seek to destroy everything, those who give unconventional thoughts desire the destruction of all beings.”

In short, they both need to be eliminated, don’t they?

“Of course. Both are formidable foes, but we can handle them somehow.”

“Then are those guys involved in this matter?”

“Oh, no. It’s just that the arrogant Shin Yura meddled here, revealing the power Sunwoo Hyun had hidden in this dungeon.”

“Is that so?”

Yoo Eunchae spoke with a confident tone.

I glanced around with a skeptical look.

But what could that be?

A peculiar magic visible in Cheonan.

‘That.’

In this past life’s beginning, it resembled the magic I had seen in the laboratory.

An extraordinarily vast magic.

Though it was early stages, I couldn’t properly filter out the extraordinary power.

The magic was tainted to the extent that it lurked everywhere.

“Yoo Eunchae.”

“Yes!”

“Is there anything you might be overlooking?”

“There’s no way that’s happening... Wait, do you sense something?”

Yoo Eunchae looked around, as if sensing something from my expression.

“We said it was safe up to this point, didn’t we?”

“Well, you know about the butterfly effect, right?”

“That’s evidence you’ve thrown a lot of punches.”

“Not just me, Seon Woo-hyun has thrown punches too!”

Yoo Eunchae shouted vigorously.

Before Seon Woo-hyun could even say why she came out...

Kwaaang!

An explosion occurred before I could say anything.

*

As soon as I heard the loud noise, my body immediately reacted.

“Uh, what?!”

“Y-yeomdong magic?”

I used Yeomdong magic to bring all the students around me.

Why is Wi Gun-ak pretending to be affected by Yeomdong magic when he’s not even affected by it?

“Yes.”

“They dared to attack without even knowing the subject. But they might be stalling for time to take something.”

“T-That’s... um...”

“Well, don’t worry. The students’ lives are my top priority too.”

“T-Then, should we prepare the defense here as well...?”

“But we can’t be certain that the call will come, right?”

What can we do about it then?

We have to deal with them all.

People always have hopeful thoughts.

It’s natural to think of them as creatures living on hope.

“So they’ll just sit back and relax.”

The enemy prepared this terror from underwater. We always have to prepare for the worst and live on.

Even preparing for the worst of the worst is not enough.

“Well, we can’t just sit around waiting while they’re out there, can we?”

Yoo Eunchae stepped forward with her staff.

I gazed at her, blinking in surprise.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh? I’m trying to help the master...”

“You guys handle those.”

With a pointing finger, he indicated the corpse lord attempting to break through the holy gate, closest to them.

“What’s that about?”

“If the ten of you are there, you can handle that much, right?”

“Well, of course?”

“Then it’s settled.”

Just one.

That should be enough to handle students and Professor Alves.

“What’s that about?”

“You’re not seriously thinking of handling the rest alone, are you?”

“That’s impossible!”

There were shocked reactions around.

But what can you do?

It has to be done.

If not me, then who?

And...

The one who caused this situation—I’d love to give them a good punch in the face.

“Come at me as you wish.”

Or, I can go.

*

-Kwoong!!

The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.

Corpse Lord.

It’s the size of a five-story apartment building.

But it doesn’t look like an apartment.

It looks like it’s made up of hundreds, or even thousands, of zombies stuck together in a grotesque manner.

Some of the students are retching.

Sun Woo-hyun leaped towards the legs of the corpse golem. He slashed with his sword, but it didn’t cut through completely.

“Tough.”

Protected by a special energy, it only got slightly nicked.

The leg, made up of dozens of corpses, couldn’t be severed in one go.

“It’s me!”

Crackle!

With a writhing blue lightning, Nam Hye-rin swung her sword again.

The leg was halfway severed.

A nauseating smell, like roasting meat, filled the air.

Other students began to move too.

Each in their own field, they smashed, burned, and hacked away at the Corpse Lord.

That thing is a monstrous being close to immortality. If we don’t do this, it won’t die.

“So.”

I’m even more curious.

About that man’s abilities.

“We’ve taken charge of one group altogether.”

There are four remaining corpse lords.

And an enormous number of thousands of zombies.

This is dangerous.

Even if Sunwoo Hyun retrieves the two hidden numbers, it might not be enough to save our lives.

That’s why the source of his confidence intrigued me.

I don’t know much about that.

The candidate for the Demon King.

From Sunwoo Hyun’s past life.

So, in his past life, he was such a being.

And he was even considered the most malicious candidate for the Demon King.

The Demon King of Eternity who destroyed China alone.

That’s why Sunwoo Hyun approached him initially.

To Han Seojin, who defeated the remnants of the Iron Blood Sect.

“First, swiftly deal with the corpse lords.”

We’ll think about the next step later.

Reluctantly, but now more than ever, Han Seojin was the one to trust.

Therefore, Sun Woo-hyun directed all his focus towards the Lord of Corpses.

“Wigunak! Halt his movements!”

“Hao.”

Wigunak’s voice echoed quietly.

Wigunak’s next move was simple.

He swiftly ran towards the Lord of Corpses.

The Lord of Corpses reacted to Wigunak’s movement.

Thud.

A hand, made up of dozens of corpses, clenched into a fist, with energy coating the fist.

The Lord of Corpses swung it.

“Watch out, it’s dangerous!”

Someone’s voice.

But it was a statement made out of ignorance towards Wigunak.

Wigunak’s move was straightforward.

He took a deep breath.

Assumed a stance.

Then, gripping his fist.

He collided with the fist.

Kwaaang!!

Two fists collided, and shockwaves scattered in all directions.

“Fearlessness. Far-reaching. Unquenchable flame.”

What followed was the magic of Shinyura.

Whoosh!

Flames blossomed from Shinyura’s hands.

Black flames, Black Blaze.

An unquenchable flame. It was a flame that literally consumed everything about the opponent.

There were many impressive things besides that.

Kwoong─!!

A mana explosion accompanied by a tremendous roar.

So Sunwoo Hyun had no choice but to turn his head.

‘What on earth did he do to cause such a storm?’

In an instant, countless thoughts crossed his mind.

Could it be that he sacrificed himself as a guarantee for his disciples’ sake?

If so, there is hope.

Hope for us to return alive.

And Sunwoo Hyun saw.

“......What?”

Hanseojin charging towards the Corpse Lord, mowing down thousands of zombies.