The end-of-day announcement.
Teacher Yun Seondo entered the classroom with a grin as he announced the day’s notice.
He was in a good mood because this matter had a trickle-down effect on him.
“Student Shinnoda, congratulations. The President is bestowing a medal on you in recognition of national prestige.”
Teacher Yun maintained a soft smile as he delivered the big news.
“A medal?”
Shinnoda echoed, perplexed.
Every year there were tournament winners, but a case like this was unprecedented.
‘Ah, is it because I defeated Zhang Yichen? Well, no one’s beaten him in the game so far.’
He nodded as if understanding.
“There will also be a banquet held at the Blue House, so come to the staff room after class. I’ll print out the relevant official document for you. It’s probably because you beat the Chinese student in the tournament.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Teacher Yun Seondo smiled contentedly as he made eye contact with Shinnoda.
‘I thought he was just an unmanageable delinquent, but he plays by the rules of his power. It’s reminiscent of the top hunters from when I was in my prime.’
Originally, he had disliked Shinnoda immensely.
Being a former hunter, he despised the hero-villain dynamic and believed today’s heroes lacked tenacity.
Not to mention those groups who came to the academy and played gangster games.
‘But Shinnoda is different. He’s got the real foundation. He’s not like the other kids today.’
Even Teacher Yun Seondo couldn’t deny the overwhelming skill that Shinnoda possessed.
The class began to buzz with murmurs.
“Whoa. What? A medal?”
“A banquet at the Blue House? That means eating with the President? Shinnoda’s on another level.”
“Shinnoda just keeps getting promoted, huh.”
The students whispered to their neighbors, envying Shinnoda.
Some were proud to be classmates with such a distinguished figure.
‘Shinnoda, what exactly do you do? A medal and dinner with the President?!’
Hitomi was internally astonished.
For her, the context was unclear, but here was her classmates’ friend and first acquaintance being acknowledged as an impressive figure after transferring schools.
A first-year Academy student who saved bullied children and contributed to national prestige, earning a Presidential medal and a dinner invitation.
‘More and more, I’m getting scared…’
She wondered if she’d bitten off more than she could chew.
In contrast to his usual irritable demeanor, Yun Seondo smiled satisfactorily at the students.
Realizing he’d missed something, he exclaimed, “Ah!” and continued.
“By the way, we’ve also been informed that Yang Min-seo is invited to the banquet as an up-and-coming young entrepreneur. You should go with student Shinnoda.”
At first, the Blue House had only spoken about Shinnoda, but later an official dispatch arrived inviting Yang Min-seo as well.
“Yes. I’ve taken over K Management earlier than expected. The President seems to have approved this decision.”
Yang Min-seo nodded as she informed the other students of her achievements. It was originally a company intended for after graduation, but numerous reasons and challenges brought the start forward.
“Whoa, she’s already the CEO as a first-year?”
“Yang Min-seo’s group is so enviable. Ugh…”
“Shinnoda and Oh Haena make sense, but isn’t Ji Soyeon a bit under the radar?”
“She’s a real Dark Templar, huh. Haha.”
The students expressed their awe and admiration at Yang Min-seo’s founding of K Management.
They also envied her teammates—Shinnoda, Oh Haena, and Ji Soyeon.
After all, they figured many networking opportunities would come their way later if they got close.
Click, click.
Suddenly, loud footsteps echoed down the hallway outside the classroom.
It wasn’t just one or two people.
“Who would be making noise at this hour…?”
Teacher Yun frowned, getting up to check who it was.
Standing behind his desk and having authority disrupted was unacceptable.
“Long time no see, Teacher.”
“It’s good to see you too.”
The well-dressed Academy alumni stood by, holding briefcases and waiting outside the classroom.
They were top graduates who earned their place at the top in their graduation year.
“What brings you here? Did you come to visit your teacher…?”
He asked hopefully.
It wasn’t common for his former students to come back, given his less-than-stellar reputation, but having so many visit gave him a spark of hope.
“Ahem, there’s urgent business we’ve been called upon to discuss with the boss, so we’ll take the student as soon as dismissal ends.”
“Boss?”
Feeling slightly embarrassed, the men dressed in suits confirmed, referring to Yang Min-seo.
Yun Seondo’s face turned red with embarrassment.
He slammed the classroom door shut with a loud bang, then stiffly concluded the end of the day announcements.
“What? What? Yang Min-seo really is a CEO?”
“Hey, isn’t that last year’s top graduate? She’s employed within Yang Min-seo’s company.”
“Being managed by the top domestic megacorporation—she’ll definitely get all the support. Jealous…”
Students couldn’t hide their envy.
In reality, K Management started with control over three Field-type dungeons, guaranteeing stable growth for heroes, causing a flood of applications.
*
I gouged my arm with the short sword.
“Ugh…”
The flesh tore, and blood burst out.
I let it flow freely.
This is my atonement.
Because of my wrong choice, the world is falling apart.
Because I doubted and didn’t follow Shinnoda, he had to fight alone.
After uncovering the truth, I bitterly regretted and mourned abandoning him back then.
But when I was in physical pain, such thoughts didn’t enter my mind—I was grateful for it.
This was the most obvious form of penance, and I couldn’t stop self-harming.
My skin healed in an instant.
The durable body of an Awakened One quickly recovered from such ordinary wounds.
“It’s not enough…”
I lifted my shirt.
A white abdomen was revealed.
Lifting the blade, I placed it at my navel.
If I forced the blade in and tore open my organs, even as an Awakened One, I don’t know what would happen to me.
“No. No. I still have something I must do. I must act according to what Shinnoda said.”
It wasn’t fear.
I had an obligation.
Shinnoda’s final wish.
It has been a year since I last saw him at the Awakened Ones Association building in Seoul.
The Gospel of Salvation installed summoning circles across the world in preparation for the upcoming “Rapture.”
Only then did the more perceptive people begin to sense something was amiss.
“These summoning circles are not positive objects. They feel similar to the Gates.”
“SSS-grade colossal Gate reactions…”
“The Gospel of Salvation must clarify…”
Anyone reckless enough to voice such doubts disappeared without a trace.
The Gospel of Salvation had their hands in it.
They dominated all the world except the Islamic extremist factions in the Arab territories and China.
After breaking ties with Shinnoda for a year…
By the time I learned the truth and sought him out, it was already far too late.
“Noda…”
In the ruins of what was once a city, Shinnoda lay collapsed.
His body was entirely covered in black, with the extremities of his hands and feet reduced to black powder, scattering in the wind.
He was being eroded and disintegrating into particles.
“Haa… Did you come to kill me? Too bad, the demons got here first. Do you want the finishing blow?”
Shinnoda, spitting out blood, emitted a wheezing laugh as if his breath was escaping.
The imposing figure from the past was gone.
“No, no. I’m sorry for doubting you. I… the things I did… I should have trusted you through and through. The Gospel of Salvation worships demons. Their goal is to summon the Demon King.”
I spoke of the truth I’d recently uncovered.
Obsessed with their victim status, I mistakenly believed them to be right and Shinnoda wrong. Reflecting back, my disillusionment with the world began because of them.
‘I foolishly thought they were only the weak and victimized. I’ve been a fool throughout this process.’
With great effort, Shinnoda weakly motioned me closer with his fading arm.
“…Omega.”
He painfully opened his mouth.
“Huh?”
“Omega. Go to her. There’s still one more chance. I’m too late, but if we manage to prevent Park Ha-yeon from suffering the same fate… cough….”
“Omega? Who is she? Where is she?”
“I’m sorry about your country… killing 30 million and still failing to eradicate the enemy. What a fool I’ve been… Park Ha-yeon should have been with me…”
Shinnoda disintegrated into black powder with those final words.
All that remained was the ‘Leather of the Sage Robe’ and his spear, ‘Gungnir.’
I carefully gathered his mementos.
“…”
I… will become the new ‘Dark Knight.’
I will find this ‘Omega,’ as Shinnoda instructed, and seek a solution to this wretched world.
And I apologize.
