Chapter 31

Chapter 31

I Became the Academy Mafia, Chapter 31After morning homeroom.

The Academy’s third day felt more like an ordinary school day than the others had.

According to our homeroom instructor, Ji Su-hyeon, the third day was meant to strengthen the mental side rather than make us move our bodies, but it seemed more like they were simply giving the students time to physically rest.

“As if there’s any noble reason behind it.”

The reason they were letting us rest like this today?

I knew better than anyone that it was because of the class ranking match next Tuesday.‘Class Ranking Match.’It was an event every student attending Seoul Hero Academy had to go through at least once, a day when the first-year classes cleared a dungeon and their class rankings were determined.

Most ranking matches were held on randomly selected days during the first semester, so only a very small number of Academy officials knew when they would occur.

Of course, the reason I knew about it was because through the game, I knew that around this period it always happened on the Tuesday of the week after admission.

“Heh heh. It’d be nice if every day were this easy. Right, Boss?”

When I saw him sleeping all day without doing a single physical thing, I briefly wondered if he knew too, but eventually realized that he was simply always like this.

Was he perceptive, or was he really just that dull?

“Alright, class is starting, so everyone get ready.”

At the sight of the instructor who had entered before we knew it, the noisy classroom quieted down.

Since it had not been long since the Academy semester began, most of the instructors entering for each class were faces we were seeing for the first time.

Of course, I knew who he was.<​Character Encyclopedia>[Name: Park Yoon-ho][Affiliation: South Korea, Academy][Age: 34][Specialty: Villain Studies, Illusion Magic][Description: An instructor currently working at Seoul Hero Academy. He researches villains in modern society and is also a hero who fought numerous villains in the past.]

Just as written in the Character Encyclopedia, Park Yoon-ho was a character who appeared in the game as an NPC who taught information about villains at the Academy or gave out missions.

His slicked-back hair and sharp eyes seemed to show just how cold and strict a person he was, but in reality, he was also one of the people at the Academy with the strongest heroic values.

In fact, whenever an Academy student succeeded in arresting, subduing, or eliminating a villain, he was the kind of person who would always give a separate reward.

“My name is Park Yoon-ho. Starting today, I’ll be the instructor teaching you Villain Studies. Villain Studies will be held twice a week, and I’ll tell you in advance that the schedule may change at any time depending on the instructor’s schedule.”

Park Yoon-ho wrote his name on the smart board at the front of the classroom, then immediately transmitted data to the smart tablets at each seat.

“This is the textbook for this semester. Introductions are over, so we’ll begin class right away.”

Even though it was the first class, Park Yoon-ho gave only a brief introduction before immediately beginning the lesson.

Groans filled with resentment came from the students’ seats, but his expression did not waver in the slightest.

“Today, we’ll look at the villains on pages 15 through 30. The first villain is ‘Bloody Clown.’ In Korea, he was called the ‘Blood Clown.’ Does anyone know about him?”

No one raised a hand at the instructor’s question.

That was only natural, since his active years were from 2012 to 2014.

Back then, most of the kids here would have been babies, so it was normal for them not to know unless they were unusually informed.

“Hmm... right. This class had the student who entered in second place, didn’t it? Han Eugene, do you know about ‘Bloody Clown’?”

The arrow suddenly turned toward me.

Seriously, he was asking me just because I entered second when I hadn’t even raised my hand?

Of course, it wasn’t as though I didn’t know about the guy.

“His real name was Jack Clewoud. He was a villain active in the United States, with the ability to turn his breath into gaseous explosives and another ability that allowed him to alter his appearance.”

Instructor Park Yoon-ho nodded after hearing my answer.

“Correct. With those abilities, he toyed with the American Association as an A-rank villain. I’ll send you his photo now.”

A photograph arrived through the tablet on my desk.

A man with a face painted pure white and dressed in ridiculous clothing.

He looked exactly like a deranged clown.

“In the end, the ones who caught him were the American hero Luna Armstrong and Instructor Ji Su-hyeon, who currently works here at our Academy. After being arrested, he was sentenced to 235 years at Niflheim, an American prison exclusively for Awakened individuals. And today, through this man, we’ll learn what exactly a ‘villain’ is.”...

And not long after that, he would escape from prison and enter Korea to take revenge on Ji Su-hyeon for capturing him.

I remembered that too because it was one of the Academy events.

“Now then, first. Let’s talk about what a ‘villain’ is.”

Saying that, he wrote the word ‘Villain’ in large letters behind him.

“You there in front, cadet. Your name is... No Yu-un? What is a villain?”

Startled by suddenly hearing his name called, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Uh... Awakened people who commit crimes?”

The instructor nodded after hearing his answer.

“You’re half right. A ‘villain’ is indeed an Awakened person who commits crimes. But the precise definition of a ‘villain’ is an Awakened individual registered as a villain in the ‘Hero Association Database.’”

Confusion appeared on the students’ faces after hearing Park Yoon-ho’s words.

Only Awakened people registered in the database are villains? What does that mean?

Park Yoon-ho seemed to notice the atmosphere as well and continued.

“Let me give you the easiest example. Vito Calione, ruler of the former Refugee Area in Incheon, now called the Foreign Area. Is he a villain?”...

Father’s name came up here out of nowhere?

To be sure, this body’s father, Vito Calione, was one of the world’s most prominent Awakened individuals unaffiliated with the Hero Association. However, the world did not call him a villain.

“I... don’t think he’s a villain.”

“Why? By your logic, Vito Calione conducts Mafia activities on South Korean territory and holds the entire global underworld in his grasp. Wouldn’t that make him a villain?”

“That... from what I learned, because of his existence, order was established in the chaotic underworld, and crime rates dropped significantly.”

Apparently satisfied with No Yu-un’s answer, Park Yoon-ho snapped his fingers.

“Yes, exactly. Although I am not in a position to defend Calione, his existence became a form of order. That is why the Association decided to define ‘villains’ this way. Awakened individuals registered in the database for causing major international and social harm are called ‘villains.’”

Park Yoon-ho struck the board hard enough to make a thumping sound.

After setting down the marker pen, he snapped his fingers, and at the same time, the shape of the classroom began to change.

Park Yoon-ho had overlaid the scenery of the classroom with an illusion created through his magic.

The lighting began changing into something dazzling.

The lectern where Park Yoon-ho stood transformed into a dining bar, and around it appeared people holding liquor bottles and toasting one another, as well as couples in splendid clothing passionately kissing.

The only strange thing was... every person who appeared here remained completely motionless, as though time itself had stopped.

“This is a reconstruction created with my ability of the party venue where Bloody Clown was finally captured. The similarity rate is 99%, so you can consider it almost perfectly identical.”

Then he smiled and spoke to us.

“I’ll give you one question here. The first cadet to answer correctly will receive one merit point, so do your best.”

At the words merit point, the students’ eyes lit up.

Academy merit points were extremely valuable points that could be exchanged for equipment or elixirs possessed by the Academy.

In my case, I also had the attitude point I had received from Kang Seung-tae, the Head of the Incheon Branch, not long ago, so if I earned one here too, I would have a total of two points.

“One person among this crowd is ‘Bloody Clown.’ Who do you think it is? All the evidence necessary for deduction is already present, so if you think carefully, you should be able to find him quickly.”

The students began murmuring after hearing his question.

How were they supposed to find Bloody Clown among all the people practically filling the classroom?

On top of that, he was a person who changed his appearance and only revealed his true identity right before committing an act of terrorism.

The guy somewhere in here was definitely in a disguised state.

In other words, it was an extremely difficult question...

Or at least, that was probably what the other students were thinking by now.

When I raised my hand first, Park Yoon-ho pointed at me.

“Yes, Cadet Han Eugene over there. Go ahead.”

“Yes.”

The question Park Yoon-ho had just given was also an event that appeared in the game, one that required deduction and concentration.

And more importantly, I was someone who had already cleared this event before.

“That man standing alone in the corner is ‘Bloody Clown.’”

I pointed toward the man standing quietly in the corner of the classroom and said so.

“Oh? Why do you think that?”

Park Yoon-ho asked with a puzzled expression after hearing my answer.

“Bloody Clown’s ‘breath’ is very similar to a gaseous bomb. According to the textbook you sent us, Instructor, it says that he normally had difficulty controlling his own ability.”

As I said that, I looked over the people surrounding the room.

I examined the smokers and continued.

“As you can see, since this is an American party venue, most of the people are enjoying the party with cigarettes in their mouths. What would happen if he so much as sighed in the middle of that? A catastrophe would occur that would catch even him in the blast. That’s why I predicted that the person standing farthest away from the hazardous element of fire was ‘Bloody Clown.’”

Park Yoon-ho’s eyes widened after hearing my explanation.

“Is that all?”

“...

To add further explanation, I also noticed the loose clothing capable of concealing a clown costume, the white powder on his shoes, and the bag that remains impossible to see inside despite being open, which I assumed was a subspace artifact.”

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The illusion that had filled the classroom disappeared as applause echoed.

“Excellent. Just as you said, because ‘Bloody Clown’ could not control his ability, he was known to avoid fire to an extreme degree before carrying out his acts of terrorism. Come receive your merit point after class.”

“Thank you.”

So now I had two merit points.

If I remembered correctly, a useful potion cost three points, so I thought this was quite a significant gain.

“Just as Cadet Han Eugene said, that man made numerous mistakes that could be used to infer that he was a ‘villain.’ Even so, despite committing so many acts of terrorism, he was difficult to capture. Why? Because the information that could be used to identify ‘villains’ had not been systematized.”

Picking up the marker again, he drew an X over the word ‘Villain’ written on the board.

“And what you will learn from me from now on... are the habits and characteristics of villains, as well as their weaknesses. I look forward to teaching you.”...

Ah, I’d probably get penalty points if I said I already know all of that, right?