Chapter 168

Chapter 168

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 168I couldn't help being flustered by the sudden request for my number.

No, common sense says that's not something people who had just knocked someone down and rifled through his wallet should be saying.

And it seemed I wasn't the only one who thought that.

“Hey, Han Ji-yeon, are you crazy? What do you mean, his number!”

At the girl's, Han Ji-eun's, words, Gi Min-ho shouted, but she instead chuckled as though telling him to calm down.

“You idiots. Our faces and everything we did have already been exposed, so what, are we supposed to run? While waiting for the Awakened police to come after us?”

Only then did the other kids look as though they understood.

At their reaction, Han Ji-yeon looked at me again and smiled.

“If we get caught by the police, things will get pretty troublesome for us~ So how about you decide? Give me your number and quietly go on your way, or else, as much as it pains me... get properly taught a lesson?”

This is interesting.

Is she threatening me into handing over my personal information so I can't report them to the police?

As I thought for a moment, the kid in the back changed his attitude too, shoved his hands into his pockets, and walked toward me.

“Hey, mister. Kids these days have pretty nasty tempers, you know?”

Apparently intending to threaten me, he tapped me on the chest.

Right, what was there to think about?

We should each act according to our personalities.

“Those kinds of kids grow up to become people like me, you know?”

Calione's secret tool prepared precisely for moments like this!

I shoved my hand into the Cube, pulled out the shotgun, and pressed the muzzle beneath his chin.

“Here. This is a ‘tool that helps calm your temper.’ What do you think? Does it feel like it's helping a little?”

“Mister, what are you── Eeeek?!”

The kid flinched when a massive gun suddenly appeared beneath his chin.

The others also seemed startled by the shotgun's sudden appearance, but apparently they weren't stupid enough to recklessly attack when their friend's head already had a shotgun pointed at it.

As expected, it's something everyone loves.

“W-wait. Oppa. Just what kind of person are you?”

Han Ji-yeon asked in a trembling voice, completely unlike the sticky tone she'd used earlier.

Right.

As expected, a shotgun really is an excellent means of conversation.

Its effectiveness is guaranteed regardless of age or gender.

The kids who hadn't been curious about me at all just moments ago were now staring at me with expressions like they were dying to know who I was.

“Ah, have I not introduced myself yet?”

Since we'd be seeing each other often from now on, I should at least give them a simple introduction.

“I'm Han Eugene. Starting today, I'm the mentor from Seoul Hero Academy in charge of reforming you. Nice to meet you, my mentee friends.”

I answered with a smile, trying to make the best possible first impression.

“Then, shall we continue our conversation?”

______________

Jigle Middle School's counseling room.

Inside were three kids sitting with their backs ramrod straight, looking uncomfortable.

“You all look pretty uncomfortable. It's fine to sit more comfortably.”

Since I'd only come today as a preliminary inspection, I temporarily set down the shotgun in my hand and spoke kindly.

It's not like I'm some loudmouth like Jin-woo who starts with ‘conversation’ without thinking.

At that, one of the boys glanced up at me.

“If you're an Academy mentor, is this that Reformation thing or whatever?”

Was his name Gi Min-ho?

According to the records, this was his third time going through the Reformation Program.

“You know it well. Then you can roughly guess why you became targets of the Reformation Program, right?”

The reason they hadn't changed even after going through the program several times was obvious.

“Is a mentor allowed to point a weapon at mentees and threaten them like this?”

Gi Min-ho instantly changed his attitude as though he'd found an opening and grinned.

That's right.

This damned country's education system.

They sent Awakened people to reform them and then prevented them from properly disciplining them... so these guys had been using the fact that they were students to threaten their mentors instead.

After all, it was a point-based system.

“A mentor isn't supposed to do that. Right, guys?”

“Right! No matter what, a shotgun's too much!”

“A handsome oppa with a gun. Cool.”

Something about that last one seemed strange...

The other kids also began smiling as though they'd found leverage, but did they really think I came here without considering something like that?

“Why? I think I'm allowed.”

Clink──Something golden fell noisily in front of them.

“You know what that is, right?”

“...

A sheriff's badge?”

Gi Min-ho recognized the object and muttered.

It wasn't something with any special effects or the ability to enhance physical abilities.

It was simply a badge meaning, ‘This person is a civilian who assists in maintaining public order under the government police.’

And proof that the bearer was an Awakened authorized to intervene quickly upon discovering a crime scene.

“You know it well. As you guys know, it gives me the authority to take separate action before police personnel arrive. Something like that.”

And in certain situations, someone carrying this item possessed authority comparable to the police.

Well, obtaining it hadn't been particularly difficult.

Conveniently, someone nearby could acquire something like this.‘Jung Eui-hoon. Give me a sheriff's badge.’‘Are you crazy? Why would I give you something they hand out to famous guild masters or heroes? Go to the police station and get one made yourself.’‘We made a bet, didn't we? The winner gets one request. Give it to me!’‘Ugh! That's not something you can just hand over because a kid asks for it...’‘You think I'm asking nicely because I'm being polite?’‘...

Damn it.’The benefit this item gave me was extremely simple.

At the very least, in various situations that occurred domestically, I could act however the hell I wanted.

Which meant.

“You guys were in a situation where you couldn't complain even if I'd shot you with my shotgun just now. That's what this means.”

“...

Fuck. Stepped in shit.”

Apparently realizing how badly the situation had gone, Gi Min-ho chewed on his lip and muttered, while Kim Hyun-su beside him wore a blank expression as though he had no idea what anyone was talking about.

And among the kids, there was one who was smiling.

“So that means Oppa is our mentor?”

Perhaps having relaxed a little, the girl crossed her legs, looked at me, and twirled her hair.

“It's a little strange for a mentee not to know their mentor's number, isn't it? Give me your number!”

Still going on about my number... she's really consistent.

She now boldly held out her phone and demanded my number.

Since I'd have to give it to her anyway to complete the program, I accepted the gaudy phone covered in all sorts of decorations and entered my number.

“Here. I'm giving it to you so you can contact me if something happens, so don't call me just because you're bored. Give the number to the others too.”

“Wow! Yees~”

Han Ji-yeon hugged the phone she'd gotten back from me and returned to her seat with a huge grin.

After confirming that all the kids were seated again, I continued where I'd left off.

“Since I'm your mentor now, I'll start by telling you the simple rules you need to follow.”

1. You must attend school. If I receive word that you didn't show up, I'll personally come looking for you.

2. Don't cause trouble. Likewise, if I receive word that you caused trouble, I'll personally come looking for you.

3. If there's something you need from me, contact me immediately.

“Simple, right? If you follow just these three rules, nothing unnecessary will happen.”

Someone watching might think, Will that really be enough?...

But I was confident.

Confident that these guys would definitely cause trouble.

“Then, since today's the first day, let's start with simple introductions. Who wants to go first?”

“Yes, yes! Me~”

Han Ji-yeon immediately raised her hand.

She stood up, smiled, and began introducing herself.

“My name is Han Ji-yeon, and I live in Bucheon. Things I hate are whiners, spicy food, and the police! What I like are handsome people!”

At the end, she blushed and made an appeal, but I lightly ignored it.

Next I glanced at Gi Min-ho, but he remained seated with his arms crossed as though trying to have a battle of nerves.

Then.

“Hey. He's telling you to do it.”

Han Ji-yeon tapped him from beside him, and eventually he sighed and stood up.

“I'm Gi Min-ho.”

Then he sat right back down.

The last remaining kid immediately stood up as though knowing it was his turn.

“I-I'm Kim Hyun-su. I like fighting, and I hate fights I lose.”

He was probably the one with the most assault offenses, right?

I was starting to get a rough idea of what kind of character he was.

“Mentor~ Aren't you going to introduce yourself? We all did ours~”

Han Ji-yeon asked me once all their turns were over.

At that, I put away the shotgun and spoke.

“I'm Han Eugene. I'm a mafia member affiliated with Calione.”

“...?”

“...

Huh?”

“...

What?”

All three of their faces turned deathly pale in an instant.

“I'm kidding. I'm a first-year at Seoul Hero Academy.”

Their expressions relaxed slightly at the word kidding, but I'd already gained quite a lot of information from that reaction alone.

1. The organization they're connected to isn't Calione.

If Calione were involved, instead of looking frightened, they would've looked confused or pleased.

2. That organization may be one that fears Calione.

Among organizations in the metropolitan area, very few don't maintain a good relationship with Calione.

That greatly narrowed down the candidates.

Lastly...

3. In the end, these kids follow the logic of strength.

All right.

With this, I felt like I knew how I should deal with them from now on.

“Then, let's get along from here on out.”

Hoping it would be a meaningful week, I finished my introduction.

______________

[Jin-woo: Right from the start, he was like, “Ah, who the fuck are you supposed to be?!” lololol So I told him I'm Jin-woo Vivald, and he immediately went, “Young Master!” and dropped into a full bow lololol Fucking hilarious, seriously lololol]

The Familia group chat that evening was filled with stories about today's ‘Reformation Program.’[Se-ah: Wow. You're having it easy. Mine acted cocky right from the start, so I immediately gave them a proper lesson.][Young-je:...

Guys. We're teachers, even if only temporarily. Is that really okay?][Jin-woo: If you think about our homeroom instructor, isn't this the correct answer?]

As expected of our Class A full of model students, most of them seemed to have established dominance through displays of force.

They're not the type to get pushed around anywhere.[Me: What about you, Young-je?]

Compared to the other kids, Young-je's reaction was clearly different.

What the hell did he do today to act like that?[Young-je: Mine attends a school around Jamsil, so I met him and went to a nearby café, right?][Jin-woo: Huh? That's it?][Se-ah: Does the kid listen to you?][Young-je: At first, not really, but I ran into Mentor Loti at the café. I greeted her once, and suddenly the kid started listening really well?]...

So this one crushed him with connections.

If the kid lived around Jamsil, there was no way he wouldn't know Loti, who was called the King of Jamsil.

And the person calling that Loti ‘Mentor’ was his own mentor.

Even if I were in that situation, I'd immediately bow my head and swear loyalty.[Kim Young-je: What about President?][Me: Me?]

Nothing major happened to me today either.[Me: I got hijacked while riding my scooter, dragged into an alley, and had money extorted from me.][Young-je:?][Se-ah:?][Jin-woo: Are they dead?]

No, dead?

Of course not.[Me: They became obedient once I showed them the shotgun, so it was convenient. They didn't attend school today either, so I took them there myself.][Young-je: Shotgun diplomacy, damn]

We'd even parted on very good terms, saying we'd meet next time with smiling faces.

Right, we'd said goodbye and agreed to meet again tomorrow...[Han Ji-yeon: Oppa.][Han Ji-yeon: Oppa.][Han Ji-yeon: We're at the police station! Help! Help!]

An inexplicable sense of déjà vu washed over me.