Chapter 92

Late at night, in the first-year dormitory exclusive to Cheonghwa Academy.

Somewhere within, a man lay unable to fall asleep.

It was Yohan Kruger, an exchange student belonging to Class 1-A.

‘What on earth happened?’

Just a few hours ago, he had witnessed an unbelievable sight.

Yohan began recalling the incident while fiddling with the mysteriously colored watch in his hand.

‘…….’

This afternoon, while hurriedly heading to his next classroom, Yohan collided with someone he hadn’t seen in time. That was the start of it all.

Perhaps it wasn’t properly fastened, but the watch he was wearing fell off, and the person he bumped into picked it up and handed it back to him.

It was Han Kangyoon, a second-year senior from Class 2-A.

‘He was a skilled person.’

Thanks to being in the same team during the Yeongwoldo expedition, Yohan, having watched his battles, remembered Han Kangyoon’s high-level practical abilities. That’s why he recognized him at a glance.

However, the problem began there.

‘It was definitely black.’

The watch Yohan possesses is not an ordinary watch but a specially crafted item.

It incorporates, of all things, a portion of the Stone of Forbidden Karma.

One might wonder why he carries such an item, but Yohan’s family has been pursuing a single Special-Rank wanted criminal for a long time.

His name is Allen Kruger. A vicious Forbidden Arts Master known as the Body Snatcher.

‘We don’t know where he is now….’

He is a being who, through some unknown Forbidden Art, can arbitrarily extract a person’s soul and take over their body.

It is estimated that he has lived for over 300 years by stealing others’ bodies in this manner, making him a veritable urban legend.

‘Hoo.’

However, Yohan knew all too well that he was a real person. After all, as the name suggests, he was Yohan’s distant ancestor.

In any case, as they are pursuing such an extraordinary being, the people of the Kruger family always carry items made using the Stone of Forbidden Karma.

To detect his traces immediately, anytime, anywhere.

Of course, that didn’t mean they had actually met him. He was merely a family nemesis, and Yohan was still just an academy student striving to grow.

But then, Yohan witnessed it.

A deep black. A being with a concentration of Forbidden Karma he had never seen or heard of before.

‘That is definitely not human.’

As a member of the Kruger family, well-versed in Forbidden Arts, Yohan knew well what the Forbidden Technique Value signified.

Anyone whose color was dyed that deeply must have dabbled in taboos unimaginable to the human mind.

If he had taken over another body, then perhaps the current Han Kangyoon was the great criminal Allen Kruger, whom his family had been pursuing so relentlessly.

Yohan couldn’t sleep at all due to various anxieties. And the next day, he immediately left the dormitory and sought out Han Seoa, who was preparing for class.

He wanted to somehow obtain information about Han Kangyoon and decide on a future course of action.

“What kind of person is Seoa’s brother?”

“…Brother? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“Well, I’ve become interested in various ways. Isn’t he the hottest topic among the second-years lately?”

Although he managed to get an answer that way, there was nothing particularly special. It was just positive evaluations from a family member, saying he was fine and caused no problems.

Frustrated, Yohan soon decided to ask a slightly more direct question.

“Haven’t you felt like he changed at some point?”

“A feeling that he changed?”

“Yes. Things like doing things he didn’t used to do, or his tastes or habits changing.”

Han Seoa, after pondering deeply, made a complicated expression and answered Yohan.

“I’m not sure.”

As Yohan nodded and was about to withdraw his question, Han Seoa added another remark.

“But, since some time ago, it seems like he’s gained various secrets for some reason.”

At those words, Yohan’s pupils shook. If Han Seoa, who watched him from closest by, said that, then it was already something absolutely not to be taken lightly.

“By any chance, didn’t his skills gradually improve and he started becoming famous from around that time?”

“…Was that so? Now that you mention it, it does feel that way. Did he receive some kind of teaching from someone?”

Unusually, Han Kangyoon stayed in Class D throughout his first year, but after becoming a second-year, he achieved explosive growth in his grades.

If his body had been taken over by Allen Kruger around that time, such events were perfectly understandable.

‘…Why does it fit so well?’

Actually, until this morning, Yohan had been leaning towards the possibility that it was some kind of misunderstanding.

But all the circumstances pointed too precisely to the worst possibility.

Stepping outside the classroom for a moment, Yohan took out his smartphone from his pocket and began serious contemplation.

‘Should I tell?’

The hunters from his family, skilled in dealing with Forbidden Arts, and Mikhail Kruger, considered one of the top powerhouses even in the United States, Yohan’s homeland.

If all of them gathered, even if Han Kangyoon was that great criminal Allen, there would be no way to handle it.

However, the problem was that doing so would likely cause a bloodbath at Cheonghwa Academy for a while.

His family would undoubtedly thoroughly ignore national approval or the academy’s opinion, and secondary or tertiary conflicts might arise as a result.

Also, his friend Han Seoa would be greatly shocked by the sudden tragedy.

Especially since Han Kangyoon, who could be considered her only remaining family from the same facility, was the opponent.

‘…….’

The evidence was still insufficient to act without hesitation. Yohan decided to postpone his judgment and observe the situation a bit more.

For the next few days, Yohan kept watch on Han Kangyoon, but couldn’t find any particularly suspicious behavior.

On the contrary, he seemed to be on friendly terms with various academy celebrities, and for a great criminal from a bygone era, he blended in too well with his surroundings.

If all of this was an act, Yohan thought he would be truly shocked.

While in such confusion, still covertly observing Han Kangyoon today, someone suddenly began approaching Yohan.

It was Shin Sora, one of the celebrities of Class 2-A.

“You, what’s your deal?”

“Me, me?”

“You’ve been suspiciously hanging around nearby since yesterday. And…….”

Grabbing the back of Yohan’s head and making eye contact, Shin Sora frowned and gradually began drawing up her Spiritual Power.

“What, are you planning to do something to Han Kangyoon?”

“H-How did you… No, that’s not it…….”

“I can’t just let it slide; the energy you’re harboring is too ominous.”

Dragged into a dim alley, Yohan had no choice but to convey part of what he knew to Shin Sora.

Of course, excluding crucial information, including the matter of the Stone of Forbidden Karma.

“What, I thought it was something else. You’re talking about the lingering spirits attached to him, right? Those are just like accessories.”

What Shin Sora explained was the behind-the-scenes of the Red Oni incident that occurred in Seoul some time ago.

Shin Sora’s words seemed somewhat truthful, but that only made things more suspicious.

“First of all, how can an ordinary person carrying such a wormhole be so fine?”

“It’s not a wormhole, it’s lingering spirits.”

“…They all sound the same to me.”

And although he couldn’t explain it in detail to Shin Sora, a Forbidden Technique Value above Red Point wasn’t something that could accumulate for such simple reasons.

One couldn’t reach that level without delving into deeper, darker taboos.

Letting out a sigh, Shin Sora grabbed Yohan’s arm, who couldn’t shake off his suspicions, and suddenly started moving somewhere.

“Where are we going?”

“To Han Kangyoon. We can just ask him directly.”

“…No, are you crazy? If we get caught, it means death!”

“It’s fine. If what you say is true, I’ll take responsibility and buy you some time.”

“Wh-What nonsense is that?”

Yohan made an indescribable expression upon hearing Shin Sora’s words.

Shin Sora was undoubtedly highly skilled, but if Han Kangyoon was truly that Allen Kruger, someone like Shin Sora would undoubtedly be torn apart without a trace in an instant.

“L-Let go of me!”

“Ah, I see him over there.”

Finally reaching Han Kangyoon, Yohan regretted not having asked his family for help sooner and desperately averted his gaze.

And as if to mock Yohan’s desperation, Shin Sora’s mouth opened before he could do anything.

“Isn’t this kid really funny? He said you were a great criminal impostor or something, or a top-level Forbidden Arts Master whose discovery would cause an uproar.”

“…….”

Listening to Shin Sora’s sudden words about me, I let out an awkward laugh.

Well, it was because what she was saying somehow pierced right to the core.

But I couldn’t guess how she came to such a conclusion.

“Yohan, was it? Say something. I told you he’s not really a weird person.”

“Ah, no. Well, that…….”

Yohan, held by Shin Sora’s hand, wore a resigned expression as if the world had collapsed and everything was over.

Seeing that, I roughly understood the situation.

‘He’s a Forbidden Arts Master too, after all.’

It wasn’t a heavily emphasized part in the original work, but there were certainly hints scattered throughout.

Probably, Yohan sensed something strange about me through some means and was suspicious of me. And it seemed Shin Sora, with her insight, detected that mindset and dragged him here.

Then, first, I needed to shut Yohan’s mouth.

Awkwardly playing along, I hastily spoke.

“Seems there was some misunderstanding. I think it’ll be resolved if the two of us talk for a bit.”

“See? I’ll step aside then.”

“Thanks.”

Now alone with him, I let out a sigh and spoke to Yohan, whose face had turned pale and was trembling in fear.

“Relax. I won’t harm you.”

“…Is, is that really true?”

“First of all, as Shin Sora said, some parts are indeed misunderstandings. Of course, some parts might not be.”

At my answer, mixed with a degree of honesty, Yohan seemed to find some stability.

And then he instead asked me a question.

“Then, that, that level of Forbidden Technique Value, how on earth……?”

Fortunately, I had a prepared repertoire for just such an occasion.

A cover profession for emergencies, one that didn’t greatly contradict the setting of the Exorcism Academy worldview.

“I possess what people commonly call prophecy ability.”

At those words, Yohan’s eyes widened greatly.