Chapter 145

“Hmph, for a mere novice to take first place, the standards of the qualification exam must have truly plummeted.”

“Or perhaps the skills of recent newcomers have declined to that extent?”

Naturally, not everyone was simply celebrating Han Kangyoon’s top-ranking pass.

No, rather, there were more disapproving gazes than one might expect.

For those entrenched in long-standing elitism or consumed by competitive dynamics, Han Kangyoon, who belonged to no established faction, was nothing short of a thorn in their side.

Moreover, even without such reasons, there were those who couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh at the news of Han Kangyoon.

Cheong Doyool, an Elder of the Cheong Family, was among them.

“…Indeed, he is no ordinary fellow.”

“As you say, Elder, he appears to be a talent far more exceptional than anticipated.”

“And such a talent is now under Cheong Soha.”

That was hardly welcome news for Cheong Doyool.

A promising newcomer held immeasurable potential value.

The gap that had already widened between him and Cheong Soha due to the previous incident now seemed to have grown even larger.

‘Moreover, he surpassed Cheong Soha’s record?’

That was truly astonishing. How monstrous Cheong Soha’s abilities were was something Cheong Doyool, having recently faced her directly, knew best.

“Well. If he’s a talent she secretly nurtured, perhaps it’s not so strange after all.”

At the very least, something like the Exorcist qualification exam would have been as simple as a stroll for Han Kangyoon.

Cheong Doyool heaved deep sighs with a troubled expression.

Because he simply couldn’t see a way out of the current situation.

‘…Some of the neutral families have turned their backs.’

Even forces originally aligned with Cheong Doyool’s faction were now showing signs of gradually withdrawing.

They had judged that Cheong Doyool had no future left.

Towards the deeply contemplative Cheong Doyool, his retainer Cheong Irin cautiously spoke up.

“…What about summoning Cheong Woondo?”

“What kind of disastrous suggestion is that?”

Cheong Woondo was a former Elder of the Cheong Family, a figure who had been stripped of his position for disrupting the family and subsequently shunned even by his former faction.

Embracing someone like him would undoubtedly invite even fiercer criticism towards Cheong Doyool. Yet, Cheong Irin did not easily back down and continued.

“It may be presumptuous, but I believe our current reputation has already fallen beyond expectations. The benefits gained from making him an ally would outweigh the losses.”

“……”

It wasn’t wrong. Since they were already the target of everyone’s scorn, a little more wouldn’t change anything.

On the other hand, as a former Elder, no one could deny Cheong Woondo’s strength; he undoubtedly possessed power ranking among the upper echelons of the Elders.

“Furthermore, we could secure various benefits without even moving him publicly, so it might not be such a bad choice.”

“…You have a point.”

Though Cheong Woondo was practically the family’s black sheep, Cheong Doyool’s faction had declined to the point where even someone like him seemed appealing.

In the end, after pondering everything, Cheong Doyool nodded quietly.

The moment had come for the Cheong Family’s notorious problem child, infamous for over a decade, to return to the center of the family.

After the Exorcist qualification exam concluded, the Academy began widely publicizing the news of our success, prominently featuring our names.

It was only natural. Producing early examinees was an opportunity to prove Cheonghwa Academy’s excellence.

The students currently enrolled at the Academy also learned of our achievements, and for a while, our names started being mentioned frequently here and there.

[Five people? Isn’t that the highest number ever?]

[Right. They said the current second and third years are a golden generation; seems it wasn’t just empty boasting.]

[Just that much? I heard both the top and second-place passers are in the third year. Do you know what that means?]

Naturally, the ones most interested in such news were the freshmen who had just entered the Academy.

While the second-year students were less surprised, having some idea of the current third-year A-Rank students’ abilities, the freshmen seemed somewhat shocked by the results exceeding their imagination.

[So the third-year A-Rank class is that capable…]

[Will we be able to reach that level in two years?]

[Hard to imagine right now.]

Well, it was a time when they were envisioning their own futures, so it was only natural to think that someday they themselves might be the protagonists.

Anyway, for that reason, lately, peculiar gazes started following me whenever I walked around the Academy grounds.

And the attention didn’t stop there.

“A guest, you say?”

“Yes. Apparently, it’s someone too high-profile for us to refuse outright. They said they at least wanted to hear your opinion.”

“Understood. I’ll meet them.”

In response to Professor Baek Jieun, who had called me aside, I nodded after a brief moment of consideration.

If Baek Jieun emphasized the person to that extent, they must be quite renowned outside as well, so seeing their face wouldn’t be a loss.

Though I had a rough idea from the explanation, the person waiting for me in the visitor’s waiting room was a rather familiar face.

It was none other than Shin Noeul, the Unit Leader of the Jeokhwadan, a Special Operations department under the Exorcism Headquarters.

‘Just like the description in the original work.’

Long crimson hair reminiscent of the twilight at sunset, and eyes shining like jewels.

Even without any action, a subtle aura of a powerful individual could be felt.

Moreover, even without that distinctive appearance, I remembered her relatively clearly. Because the imagery of a certain upcoming event was too intense.

‘…An event practically serving as a harbinger of the approaching second Night Parade of One Hundred Specters.’

In it, the Jeokhwadan, facing the S-Rank Specter Cat-Head Serpent, would be decimated.

‘The members are almost annihilated, and Shin Noeul herself suffers major injuries, falling into a state akin to retirement.’

The shocking strength of the S-Rank Specter first shown upon its appearance in the original work remained vividly imprinted in my memory.

Up until then, High-Ranking Exorcists had been treated as the strongest class on communities and such.

Watching such figures being miserably killed and collapsing delivered a great shock to many players at the time.

It was also the moment they realized once again just how vicious this game’s difficulty was.

‘……’

Given the clues revealed so far, it was practically certain that the second Night Parade would occur. In contrast, no matter how well-trained the protagonist Yoo Haon and his party were, they would barely be able to take down an A-Rank Specter even by combining their strength.

Amidst that, the absurdly overwhelming strength of an S-Rank was revealed, so it was only natural for players to wonder just how they were supposed to defeat it.

Anyway, Shin Noeul, who was both the protagonist and victim of that battle, was now before my eyes.

Not as a mere piece of game data, but as a living, breathing human being.

“You’re Han Kangyoon, right? Nice to meet you.”

“Yes. The honor is mine.”

“Huh? Did you know me?”

“As the Unit Leader of the Jeokhwadan and someone recently promoted to Special-Rank Exorcist, surely far more people have at least heard your name.”

I had also heard the news of her promotion recently and found it interesting.

Upon hearing my words, Shin Noeul, showing a reaction that didn’t seem displeased, opened her mouth to continue.

“Actually, I’ve had my eye on you for a while. Probably since the time of the public presentation. But I dismissed the thought, judging it unrealistic… “

Seeing that she had come to find me like this, it wasn’t hard to guess her purpose.

“I’ll be direct. I want you to join the Jeokhwadan.”

“May I ask the reason?”

“Well, your talent goes without saying. I just really like you.”

It was a remarkably straightforward answer. From this single statement, I could roughly grasp what kind of person Shin Noeul was.

It was a rather simple proposal, but facing her in person felt different. It was clear that Shin Noeul possessed significant charisma as a leader.

“Now that you’ve obtained your Exorcist qualification, there’s nothing holding you back. Do you have a specific place in mind for after graduation?”

“Not yet.”

“Then that’s fine. Think about it. I can’t speak for financial aspects or fame, but if you seek growth as an Exorcist, the Jeokhwadan is a pretty good choice.”

Just from this conversation, I was somewhat tempted, but unfortunately, I couldn’t accept the offer.

After graduation, I planned to act independently according to my own goals rather than belonging to any organization.

However, separate from that, I also felt a strong interest in this moment.

To be more precise, I rather wanted to draw them to my side.

‘…In the original work, they didn’t have much presence.’

Naturally. After being wiped out facing the Cat-Head Serpent, the Jeokhwadan naturally proceeded to disband.

But that doesn’t mean their abilities should be underestimated. Rather, the fact that they ultimately managed to exorcise their opponent despite a sudden encounter with an S-Rank Specter was incredibly impressive.

So, what if I could borrow their strength in the battles to come?

‘They would undoubtedly become an immensely powerful force.’

With that, I quickly racked my brain for a moment. How exactly could I get them to participate in the future battlefield?

And soon, I reached a conclusion.

“First, thank you for the offer. I also have little interest in financial aspects.”

“…Then?”

“However, it’s clearly not a matter to be decided lightly. So, may I make one request?”

“Sure. I’ll hear it out and decide.”

The request I posed to her was, in a way, only natural.

“I’d like to temporarily join the Jeokhwadan to gain experience. A period around June would be good.”

“That shouldn’t be difficult. I’ll handle talking to the upper echelons and the unit members.”

“Thank you.”

Perhaps because she had achieved an unexpected result, Shin Noeul soon left the Academy with a satisfied expression.

And I too nodded quietly and thought.

‘The Cat-Head Serpent appears precisely in June.’

So, join the Jeokhwadan at that time and help them avoid being decimated.

That way, I can earn their favor to borrow their strength later, or even if not, it ultimately benefits me.

For the future ahead, the more strength on the Exorcist side, the better.

But to achieve that, I needed to move extremely busily from now on.

‘…An S-Rank Specter.’

No matter what shortcuts I use, it’s impossible in my current state. I wouldn’t even be able to properly withstand it.

Therefore, by that time, I had to use every method to reach at least one higher level.

Returning from the waiting room to the dormitory, I clenched my fist tightly.