Chapter 102

Chapter 102

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 102The dean's opening remarks and address, the first item on the schedule, were exactly as expected.

The usual things anyone could predict, and regret over what had happened yesterday.

And talk about how the Academy should move forward from now on.

Some students seemed deeply moved by the dean's words, but for me, who had heard them to death back when I played the game and eventually spammed the skip button, it was merely unfortunate that reality had no skip button.

“...

So, I hope all of you will once again remember that you are the heroes of the Republic of Korea, and of the world. That is all.”

The moment the dean finished speaking, countless people began applauding.

Then, cutting through the continuing applause, the speakers sounded.[Next, we will hear an address from the President of the Hero Association's Republic of Korea Branch.]

“Young-je, Young-je. The person coming out now is the very top of the Republic of Korea Hero Association! Right?”

“The top... might be a bit much to call him, but he is the highest-ranking person, right?”

Just as Se-ah and Young-je said, the man now walking onto the stage was someone who could stir up the entire Republic of Korea through his position alone.

A stride that radiated dominance and a sturdy physique.

His neatly slicked-back pomade hairstyle and black horn-rimmed glasses as well.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, everyone. I am Kang Man-seok, President of the Korean Branch Association.”

With his introduction, the clicking sounds of camera shutters began ringing continuously from the back, while several students seated in their places looked at him on the stage with admiration.

Kang Man-seok swept his gaze over us and smiled.

His words to the first-year freshmen were also not much different from the dean's, full of formalities that made me want to hit skip...

If not for what he said near the end.

“Yesterday, I understand the Academy was attacked by terrorists known as the Villain Alliance. This place, which trains the future heroes and cultivates the talent responsible for the future of our Republic of Korea.”‘...

Would you look at that?’Was this another part that had changed because the date of the terrorist attack had been moved forward?

I began to grow interested as he gradually raised his voice and took control of the atmosphere.

“This was something that should never have happened, something that must never happen again! I believed this was the fault of us adults for failing to prepare beforehand and failing to respond properly!”

Translated roughly, wouldn't that amount to, ‘What the hell was the Academy doing to let itself get attacked by terrorists who even gave advance warning? You know this is all your fault, right? Ah, us? We don't know. Anyway, not our problem.’?

In other words, he was attacking the Academy in a public setting.

“For that reason, I and the Hero Association feel a tremendous sense of responsibility. We feel deep guilt for failing to create a safe environment!”

He was saying that responsibility for this incident lay not only with the Academy but with the Association as well.

If you listened without thinking much, it could sound like he meant they shared the blame and should divide the responsibility... but the reality was completely different.

This was practically an indirect declaration that they intended to interfere with the Academy.

In fact, the dean, who had been listening to Kang Man-seok with a quiet smile, was visibly stiffening in real time.

“I solemnly promise that our Association will do everything in its power for the students so that something like this never, ever happens again!”

The picture was starting to come together.

This was probably the kind of pressure from the Association old man Kwak Chun-sik had told me about before.

Especially because the Association's influence over the Academy was weaker than elsewhere, they might be trying to use this incident as a weakness to gradually worm their way in.

The Academy was an independent institution that the Association couldn't control.

The problem, however, was that the place he had chosen to launch this attack was the Academy's freshman welcome party.

Perhaps he hadn't intended to keep going after seeing the expressions of the dean and student council members growing increasingly cold, because Kang Man-seok eventually smiled and concluded his speech.

“I sincerely hope all of you enjoy a healthy Academy life, and with that, I will conclude my remarks. Thank you.”

Kang Man-seok left the stage amid applause.

Only after he had completely left did the applause stop and Yuli's voice come through.[...

Next, we will hear a congratulatory address from Seoul Academy graduate representative, Hero Lee Won-ho.]

The next person to appear was an S-rank hero even within the Korean Hero Association and one of the most famous heroes in the Republic of Korea.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, juniors. I am Lee Won-ho of the ‘Metal’ Guild, and a graduate of Seoul Hero Academy.”

And...

“I, too, have many concerns and worries regarding yesterday's events, and I greatly sympathize with the Association President's thoughts.”

He was also a lackey of the Hero Association.

“Yesterday's incident taught us many lessons. That the freshmen of the Academy are not weak... and that the Academy's security is extremely lax. As your senior, I cannot simply stand by and leave such an environment alone. It pains me deeply!”

This was within my expectations.

After all, even when he attended the Academy, the bastard had been treated as beneath Ray Pendragon, the current student council president who had been his junior at the time.

As Lee Won-ho continued his impassioned speech, the faces of the dean and faculty members hardened to the point that they seemed cold.

“...

Wow. I never thought they'd turn this place into a battlefield.”

It seemed even the sharp-minded Young-je had figured out what was going on.

Of course, he wore an incredulous expression as though he hadn't expected the situation to unfold like this.

Even Jin-woo, who had looked ready to fall asleep just moments ago, now had sparkling eyes as he enthusiastically ate popcorn that I had no idea where he'd gotten, resting it between his thighs.

“Jin-woo. Share some.”

“Hm? Sure.”

My gaze shifted toward one side of the waiting area.

There stood a man whose lips were faintly curled upward even in this situation.

An accomplice who had contributed to all of this, having reviewed the script beforehand with the Korean Association President and Lee Won-ho and still allowed it to happen.

Ray Pendragon.

Among the student council members, all of whom wore cold expressions, he alone was smiling.

“...

So you're already planning to slowly devour the Academy?”

Then I had no choice but to stop you in my own way.

“...

Whenever you need help, please come find me. Thank you.”

The applause was far weaker than before.

The other students were beginning to notice one by one that something was strange about the atmosphere.

That this place was no longer simply a freshman welcome party, but a kind of political battlefield.[Next, we have the freshman representative, student Han Eugene...]

At last, it was my turn.

I picked up the declaration script the Academy had given me beforehand, stood from my seat, and walked toward the stage.

At the same time, I felt the gazes of countless people from all around me.

Maybe the old me from reality would have been different, but after undergoing Parnello and Alessia's strict successor training, this kind of situation was extremely familiar to me.‘Though I never imagined they'd make me practice in front of the organization members after hearing I was giving the oath as freshman representative...’When I finally stepped onto the stage, the sight before me swept across my vision.

Nearly everyone filling this vast auditorium was watching my words and my actions.

I glanced down at the declaration in my hand, then slowly began reciting its contents.[Greetings. I am Han Eugene, freshman representative of Seoul Hero Academy. First, before making the declaration, I would like to thank Association President Kang Man-seok, Senior Lee Won-ho, and...]

Truly, truly ordinary words that stirred absolutely nothing inside me.‘Boring.’They had thoroughly chewed up, torn apart, tasted, and enjoyed the Academy right before this, and now I was supposed to thank people like that without offering any response?‘Boring.’That wasn't my way.

That wasn't Calione's way.

Thud!

My smoothly flowing words came to an abrupt halt, and the vast space was instantly buried in silence.

I immediately raised the declaration in my hand above my head where everyone could see it.‘W-what is he doing right now?’‘Isn't it some kind of performance?’‘Student council. This was all discussed beforehand, right?’People began murmuring at my actions.

Sure, if you wanted to call it a performance, then it was a performance.

Riiip──I tore the declaration in half where everyone could see, then tore it in half again, and again, reducing it to scraps of garbage before scattering them onto the floor and opening my mouth.

“──You should be ashamed.”

Maybe it would have been different on another route.

Maybe it would have been different if I hadn't possessed the body of Eugene Han Calione.

But how dare they.

How dare they── throw ashes onto the Academy I was working on?

“To come to a freshman welcome party and fight over your own interests, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.”

This was my pride as Calione's successor, and as a gamer.

Now that I had enrolled in the Academy──Now that I had acknowledged this Academy as my territory──I could never tolerate people pulling this kind of shit here.

“You should not have come here to tear down the Academy for its mistakes. You should have spoken for the instructors who protected the freshmen from villains, for the students who defeated them, and for the freshmen who should now feel anger toward those villains.”

But they hadn't.

Because they had been too busy pursuing nothing but their own interests.

“If I were the Association President, if I were a proud graduate of Seoul Hero Academy, I would have stood proudly before these students, before all the distinguished guests gathered here, and confidently said this.”

You did well.

You endured well.

You won well.

“But instead, you said that the Academy was ultimately at fault, and that you would fix it yourselves.”

I paused to catch my breath.

Then.

I decided to bring out the quote most suited for this moment.

That person didn't exist in this world, so I would probably be the first one to say it here.

“I, freshman representative Han Eugene, will proudly declare this here and now.”

It was a declaration not greatly different from what was written in the script, but I added and adapted the ‘history’ of the world I originally came from and solemnly declared it.

“We do not need your help.”

“We will not weaken or fail.”

“We will fight to the end.”

“We will fight in the Republic of Korea, in the world, and upon the seas.”

“We will build our confidence and strength, and we will fight in the skies as well.”

“No matter the cost, we will protect the people from villains.”

Then I looked at the countless freshmen seated before the stage.

“Painful trials await us. Many years filled with struggle and suffering await us. If someone asks what our purpose is, I will answer like this. With the strength entrusted to us, we will fight against atrocities more vile than anything ever recorded among the countless crimes humanity has committed! That is what it means to be a hero. If you ask what our purpose is, I will answer in one word.”

Victory.

“Victory, whatever the cost. Victory, no matter what terror comes. Victory, however long and arduous the road may be. Because without victory, there can be no peace.”

Thanks to those greedy adults, I had ended up giving the freshmen a few words of my own, but I had no regrets.

These were words that the countless aspiring heroes seated before me absolutely needed to hear.

“Never give up. Never, never, never! Whether the matter is immense or small, great or trivial, never give up unless honor and good sense provide overwhelming conviction otherwise.”

And those who had spoken before me should have told the kids this.

“Success is not eternal, and failure is not the end. What matters is the courage to keep moving forward without submitting. That concludes my remarks. I was Han Eugene, freshman representative.”

After delivering my final greeting, I bowed my head to conclude and looked at the window that appeared before my eyes.[Achievement Accomplished!][Achievement: 「Freshman Representative」 acquired!][You have completed the Academy freshman oath above the required standard!][The majority of the people in the auditorium were deeply inspired by your speech!][A special reward will be granted!]

Bingo.