Chapter 273 – Epilogue (6)

It was an unfamiliar ceiling.

“Why is it that the number of patients spikes only during your class?”

A beautiful woman in a white coat could be seen talking on the phone with someone.

“You think they’re all faking it? They didn’t seem to be. And who was it that drove them to fake illness just to escape, anyway? *Sigh*. I know you mean well, but please, don’t be so hard on them. I know you’re a gentle person… Hello? Hey!”

The beautiful woman, whose call had been forcibly disconnected, let out a soft sigh. Then, seeing that Yeomje was awake, she approached him with a professional smile.

“You’re awake?”

“Where am I?”

“This is the nurse’s office. It seems to be a mild concussion, so you can go home and rest.”

“I…?”

Yeomje, not understanding the situation, asked again, but only received the school nurse’s gentle smile and pitiful gaze.

He belatedly recalled what had just happened.

‘Lee Hyunbin…?’

The strongest hunter, who had been missing for four years since the Demon World subjugation and was officially declared dead. But no one who knew him believed it.

That monstrous man who defied common sense wouldn’t die from an explosion of that magnitude.

“So, you were alive after all.”

Saying so, Yeomje let out a low laugh.

He was an annoying bastard, but for some reason, knowing he was alive made him feel cheerful.

“Um… should I call an ambulance? I thought it was just a mild concussion…”

Seeing Yeomje chuckling to himself, the school nurse fumbled with her phone.

* * *

“Whoa, that was insane. Did you see that?”

“The teacher’s no joke, right? Yeomje’s an S-rank hunter, but he got completely wrecked.”

“…”

The students of Class A were exclaiming in awe as they recalled the spar that had just taken place.

-Alright, you never know what might happen in a dungeon. You need to be prepared to fight opponents who use skills—in other words, Villains. The way you respond will differ depending on their skills, right? For now, let’s use Hunter Yeomje as an example. Step forward, teaching aid.

-Hunter Yeomje’s main skill is Explosion. It’s a flame burst with high firepower, a fast rate of fire, and great versatility. That can make him difficult to deal with, but it’s faster to just show you. Teaching aid, use your skill.

-Dodge like this, and strike like this. Simple, right?

-Even if a series of flame spears comes flying at you, you just dodge like this, dodge like this, and strike like this. Simple, right?

Everyone was shocked to see the arrogant Yeomje desperately firing off flames just to stay alive.

They had only wanted to give their teacher, who had been working them like crazy, a hard time; they never wished for his death.

But Teacher Hyunbin, as if playing around, was dodging the skills of Yeomje—said to possess the greatest explosive power—with simple footwork and landing body blows.

-It’s simple. Don’t be intimidated by what you see in front of you; just look at your opponent’s eyes. Skills may display superhuman power, but they’re still targeted with the eyes. As long as you dodge outside their field of vision, you’re not in danger. It’s similar to dodging a bullet. Got it?

Has he actually dodged a bullet before?

The students had this question, but none of them voiced it.

-A round of applause for Hunter Yeomje, who gave us this demonstration! Ah, I see you can’t receive it.

Looking down at the knocked-out Yeomje, Hyunbin wore a grim expression.

The students felt their will to resist vanish.

While resting in the waiting room after training, the students were talking about how their teacher was ridiculously strong, far more than they’d imagined.

However, they had to be mindful of Hwang Jae-hoon, one of the top three.

This was because Hwang Jae-hoon’s expression was noticeably sour, thanks to his grand plan ending in a massive failure.

As if sensing his classmates’ gazes, Hwang Jae-hoon’s lips moved, and he spoke in a low voice.

“My uncle was holding back. He can’t go around hurting a civilian.”

“Holding back…”

Hwang Jae-hoon’s excuse was unconvincing. For someone supposedly holding back against a civilian, he had been desperately spamming his skills.

“Uh, yeah. Right.”

“Exactly. So, cheer up.”

At his classmates’ desperate agreement, Hwang Jae-hoon felt like he could cry. Of course, there was always someone to spoil the mood.

“Holding back? What holding back? He was getting his ass kicked.”

“Watch your mouth, you bastard.”

At Hong Jae-young’s provocation, Hwang Jae-hoon’s face twisted instantly. As the two looked ready to fight at any moment, Han So-yul, who had been staring blankly with her chin in her hand, spoke up.

“By the way, doesn’t our homeroom teacher look like the Delivery Man?”

The Delivery Man, Lee Hyunbin.

The strongest hunter on Earth, who saved the entire world four years ago. His name remained the stuff of legend.

“The Delivery Man is dead, you idiot.”

“Did you see him die?”

At the time, with destruction imminent, everyone was connected through the System and watched the Delivery Man’s final battle.

Even thinking back now, they remembered watching the brutal battle with their young eyes, unable to look away.

“How could anyone survive that explosion? And if he were alive, he would’ve shown up long ago.”

Hong Jae-young said, as if it were pathetic. The explosion, created by the final boss sacrificing its life, was reminiscent of a nuclear bomb.

Not even the most legendary S-rank hunter could have survived in that inferno.

“I don’t know about all that. It’s just… they feel different, but also similar. A gut feeling, maybe. Maybe it’s because they have the same name.”

“Name?”

When Hong Jae-young looked puzzled, Han So-yul shot him a look that said, ‘Don’t tell me…’

“You don’t even know our teacher’s name?”

“I don’t bother memorizing the names of anyone outside my family.”

“You know my name.”

“Yeah, Ppak-So-yul.”

“You wanna die?”

Han So-yul immediately used her psychokinesis to smack Hong Jae-young on the forehead. But he didn’t even flinch.

When it came to toughness, Hong Jae-young boasted the best in Class A.

The homeroom teacher and the Delivery Man had the same name. Of course, it wasn’t a rare name, so having the same name didn’t guarantee they were the same person.

‘Still, they do seem similar…’

Hearing Han So-yul’s words, the class president also felt that they seemed somehow similar. Strangely, the Delivery Man, with his image of a muscular bear, and their handsome homeroom teacher resembled each other for some unknown reason.

“Whatever! Since Hwang Jae-hoon failed, it’s my turn!”

Seeing Hong Jae-young beat his chest as if making a grand declaration, Han So-yul scoffed.

“The likes of you?”

“What if I succeed?”

“If you do, I’ll be your daughter.”

“I wouldn’t raise a daughter like you.”

Han So-yul lifted a chair with her telekinesis and brought it down on Hong Jae-young.

This time, too, Hong Jae-young was unharmed.

“Ah, you damn blockhead.”

“If I get one over on the teach, you owe me a week’s worth of meal tickets, deal?”

“I’ll give you a month’s worth.”

“Okay. You just wait right there!”

Having made the bet with Han So-yul, Hong Jae-young hurriedly left the classroom.

The break ended and class began, but Hong Jae-young did not return.

When the regular school day ended, while ordinary high schools would have after-school self-study, the special academy Raon began its evening training. And just in time, Hong Jae-young returned.

“Heh heh.”

He shot Han So-yul an arrogant look.

The students wanted to ask what he had been doing, but just then, Teacher Hyunbin came in.

“Alright, everyone. It’s time for the long-awaited evening training!”

Humans are creatures of adaptation; no matter how impossible the training seems, they eventually manage to do it. They adapt. But the next day, their limits are torn apart, and then torn apart again.

Thanks to this, the students were going through hell.

“Sir. Don’t we get any audiovisual education?”

“Audiovisual?”

“Yes!”

The students all spoke in unison, as if they had planned it.

“I heard you had self-study all this time because you didn’t have a homeroom teacher. You must have had plenty of audiovisual education then.”

“…”

“We can’t fall behind the others. Let’s train fast and get strong fast. Now, move. Move, move!”

As expected, it was completely ineffective against Teacher Hyunbin.

The students were dragged to the training grounds like livestock to a slaughterhouse.

“Alright, shall we start with a run?”

“…”

The students began to strap on sandbags on their own.

“Let’s start with three laps today. How many laps?”

“Three laps!”

“Good, ten laps. Begin!”

“Guuuh!”

The students started running laps around the training room with sandbags on.

Running is the most basic of all basics in training.

It’s fine for the combat-track students, but it can be tough for those on the non-combat track.

After all, their physical stamina was no different from that of a regular person. But Teacher Hyunbin wouldn’t tolerate that.

If they threw a tantrum and refused, a one-on-one meeting awaited them.

Many students had already realized it was better to be put through the wringer than to have that meeting.

It was around the time the students had finished about half their run.

“Mr. Lee!”

Just then, the head of student affairs stormed into the training room, fuming.

“Mr. Hak, what’s the matter?”

“What’s the matter? You’re asking me what’s the matter?”

The head of student affairs glanced at the students being drilled by Teacher Hyunbin and raised his voice.

“What’s with the state of these kids? Huh?”

“Their state?”

Hyunbin looked at the students.

The students had become very healthy. He wasn’t satisfied, but it was at an acceptable level.

“They all look fine.”

“Fine? Hey, you. I’ve been watching from the sidelines. What do you think this is, some kind of boot camp? How can you train combat and non-combat students the same way? Don’t you even have a basic training curriculum?”

This was why the head of student affairs was angry.

Class A was a collection of the most talented first-year students.

The top three, in particular, were talents already being scouted by other guilds.

Hwang Jae-hoon, called the next-generation Yeomje; Hong Jae-young of steel; and the genius psychokinetic, Han So-yul.

These children were supposed to receive the best education and be molded into Raon’s greatest talents ever.

This was why Class A had only had temporary homeroom teachers until now.

Because they had been making great efforts to recruit a brilliant teacher from elsewhere who could properly nurture them.

“If you’re going to do this, then just quit! Look at the state of these kids. Are they all successors to the Fist of the North Star or something? Why have they all bulked up so much!”

The students, who had been gloating while watching Hyunbin get scolded by the head of student affairs, started shifting their eyes when they heard him say to quit.

The truth was, although Teacher Hyunbin worked them like a sadist, he didn’t seem like a bad person.

After grueling training sessions, he would tell them they needed to bulk up and treat them to as much chicken or pork belly as they wanted, paying out of his own pocket.

Not only that, but many students had also recovered mentally after receiving private counseling from him.

‘This isn’t what I wanted.’

Hong Jae-young had only meant to cause a little trouble, but seeing the atmosphere turn strange, he was panicking inwardly.

“Do you think you’re handling slaves here? I heard you even made them do night training yesterday. This is abuse! The principal is on his way, so you won’t get away with this. Got it?”

In truth, the head of student affairs had been targeting Teacher Hyunbin for a while.

He had known about the hard training he was putting the students through for some time. The reason he targeted Hyunbin was that he didn’t like how he was getting all the attention from the female teachers lately.

No, he could tolerate the attention from other female teachers. But he couldn’t stand him going on a date with the angelic school nurse.

He had become an incarnation of jealousy.

“Mr. Hak.”

“What. Why. Hah, are you going to hit me?”

The head of student affairs tensed up slightly as Hyunbin approached.

Hyunbin raised his arm. Seeing this, the head of student affairs quickly scanned the angles of the nearby CCTV cameras with his eyes.

‘There are CCTVs, so it’s fine. This thug-like bastard, if he so much as touches me…!’

*Thwack.*

The head of student affairs felt Hyunbin’s heavy hand land on top of his head.

“…?”

*Rip.*

A tearing sound was heard. In that moment, the head of student affairs felt his head become bare.

His wig had been torn off.

“Wh-what are you doing! My, my hair…!”

The head of student affairs saw his wig being thrown far away.

The startled, bald department head ran to pick up his wig. Seeing this, students here and there began to snicker.

“Alright, don’t just stand there resting, finish your laps. Move, move!”

Watching Hyunbin resume the training, the head of student affairs ground his teeth.

*Screech.*

Just then, the most powerful person in Raon Academy, the principal, appeared.

‘You’re dead.’

The head of student affairs smiled inwardly. He hastily put his wig back on and scurried over to the principal.

“Principal, as I told you, this is the situation. Combatants, non-combatants. Boys, girls, he works them all the same without distinction. This is abuse, and if the Ministry of Education finds out…”

“Wh-what is this…!”

The principal’s hands trembled as he saw the children, who had changed completely in just a few weeks.

Seeing the short but stout principal tremble made him look even more pathetic.

“Haven’t all the children’s faces become gaunt! And what’s with those muscular bodies that look like overturned cockroaches!”

Hearing the principal’s roar, the head of student affairs smiled.

All that was left was for that clueless rookie to get severely punished.

“This is great!!!”

“Pardon…?”

“Mr. Lee! Are you teaching them something like the Fist of the North Star? ‘You are already dead.’ Can the kids do that?”

“Aigoo, kids these days don’t know about that stuff. You’d have to talk about the Leaf Village for them to even have a clue. Oh, right. That thing I mentioned before. When is the training ground expansion going to happen?”

Seeing how friendly the principal and Hyunbin were, the head of student affairs shut his mouth.

“I already got that started!”

“Aigoo, our principal did a great job.”

No, beyond just looking friendly, Hyunbin was patting the principal on the head.

“What’s this, I thought something was wrong since a complaint was filed, but I guess not. I’ll support you with whatever you need, so just train the kids well!”

“Yes, of course. I’ll train them hard.”

Hyunbin smiled as he looked at Hong Jae-young.

“Especially for the sake of our informant. It seems my love was insufficient.”

Hong Jae-young quickly secured an escape route. But Teacher Hyunbin was faster than the eye could see.

* * *

“Principal. I don’t understand, may I ask you something?”

The head of student affairs couldn’t comprehend the situation. The principal stared at him with a cold gaze.

Faced with an entirely different atmosphere from when he was dealing with Hyunbin, the head of student affairs pressed his lips together.

“Don’t try to understand, and don’t ask.”

“…”

Something beyond all the common sense he had built up until now was happening. It was an utter mess.

To think he’d just let an amateur with no experience be put in charge of Class A and make a total mess of things.

“That guy is a pro among pros. So just leave him be and let him do his thing.”

“…Pardon?”

The head of student affairs couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the principal’s words.

In what way?

“He’s like a benefactor to you, too. So don’t go picking a fight with a blessing that just rolled in on its own. Understand?”

“…Understood.”

The head of student affairs didn’t understand, but he couldn’t talk back to the principal, who was speaking so firmly.

With that, the principal finished and waddled away with short steps.

Unlike a moment ago when he was angry, the principal looked to be in a very good mood.