Chapter 60

Chapter 60

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 60In the end, just as I had trusted, the kids had managed to clear the dungeon very easily even without me.

After all, there was the fact that they had already experienced clearing one before.

And there was the fact that their instructor was Ji Su-hyeon.

And on top of that, Ji Su-hyeon had personally declared that if they failed to take first place, she would kill them all.

With their lives on the line, they had no choice but to be desperate.

Was it thanks to that? The result was so overwhelming that the other classes couldn't even hope to catch up...

Though the method was a problem.

“...

Haa. In my entire life, you are the first class I've ever seen clear a dungeon while physically blocking other students with your bodies. Just what were you thinking when you did that?”

At Instructor Park Yoon-ho's words, every student in our class lowered their heads deeply and remained silent.

It seemed they had enough of a conscience to know their method had been wrong.

Though they had probably gotten swept up in the atmosphere too.

“...

The Class Ranking Match also includes conduct points. And after showing behavior like that, it will be difficult to avoid a deduction.”

In a way, that was only natural.

After all, Seoul Hero Academy was a place for training heroes, not hunters.

The other kids likewise remained silent without saying anything, silently accepting it.

“Each class should return to the positions where you were standing before departure. The results will be announced as soon as grading is complete.”

At that moment, Young-je raised his hand.

“Instructor. Unlike the other classes, our instructor doesn't seem to be here...”

“Ah, you mean Instructor Ji Su-hyeon.”

His expression, which had finally regained its composure, crumpled again.

“...

Instructor Ji Su-hyeon caused a scene while watching you and was dragged away. She was shouting, ‘That's it, my babies!’, and ‘That's how my students should do it!’”

“Ah.”

“...

For now, return to your original position.”

If anything, that felt extremely like Ji Su-hyeon.

A little while later, once every class had returned to where they had originally stood, a gigantic screen appeared in midair.[From this point onward, we will announce the grading results of this ‘Class Ranking Match.’]

At that, the screen began changing, and Class A's score appeared.[Class A: -p]

Soon, Park Yoon-ho's voice was heard.[Class A. Taking into account that you acted faster than anyone else, showed no hesitation in dealing with monsters, and dealt with the boss first, you have earned 364 points, the same score as last year's first-place class.][Class A: 364p]

At that, the kids celebrated as though first place had already been decided.

Then a voice cut straight through their cheers.[However!]

Their expressions stiffened at the realization that there was another change coming.[Three hundred points will be deducted for obstructing students from other classes from entering the boss room.]

The moment he said that, the score written on the screen dropped in real time.[Class A: 64p]

The score plunged all the way to the bottom in an instant.

As the kids began collapsing to the ground one by one or making frustrated expressions.[However.]

But.

There was still one more shot left.

Because the grading wasn't finished yet.[If we add the points earned by Class A student Han Eugene for the magic stones of nine hidden Golden Goblins and defeating the Golden Hobgoblin...]

At the same time, the score began climbing at a terrifying pace.[You have surpassed last year's first-place class by more than 500 points.][Class A: 872p]

At that overwhelming gap in score, everyone stared at me wide-eyed.

The students of Class A, Jung Eui-hoon, and even Choi Yeon.[I never expected to announce first place from the very beginning. Congratulations. First place goes to Class A.]

Applause could be heard from the instructors' side.

At the announcement that we'd taken first place by an overwhelming margin, everyone's eyes gathered on me.

Feeling unnecessarily burdened by all those gazes, I lowered my eyes, only for someone to suddenly hug me tightly from behind.

“Booosss!! I knew I could trust youuu!!”

The other kids around us apparently felt the same way as Jin-woo, because they were all looking at me with bright expressions...

This is surprisingly burdensome.[As a reward for taking first place in the Class Ranking Match, the entire class will receive elixirs, and Cadet Han Eugene, who placed first among the top ten individual students, will receive a mentee right allowing him to designate one hero belonging to the Korean Hero Association as his mentor.]

Yeah.

That ‘mentee right’ was exactly what I wanted.

The [Bloodline: Calione] that had newly awakened during the fight against Kwon Su-hyeop, president of the ‘Ranger Club.’

Because I was certain that I would need someone else's help in order to strengthen this ability in another direction.[The next ranking is...]

Instructor Park Yoon-ho continued reciting the rankings and established the order of the classes, then took hold of the microphone after announcing every class's ranking.[Next are the ten individuals who showed outstanding performance in this dungeon. As a reward, they will be given a mentee right allowing them to receive lessons from a mentor of their choosing.]

At the same time, names appeared one after another on the screen.

1. Han Eugene

2. Choi Yeon

3. Kim Young-je

4. Jung Eui-hoon

5. Choi Kang-hyun

6. Alex Kim

7. Jin-woo Vivald

8. Kim Se-ah

9. Anna Skovich

1

0. Nakito Yoichi[With this, the ‘Class Ranking Match’ will conclude. Students who received a ‘mentee right’ should hear a detailed explanation through their assigned instructor. There is no further schedule, so return to your classes. That is all.]

Just as expected, every member of ‘Familia’ had successfully obtained a ‘mentee right.’

Of course they had.

They'd been tearing through the underground dungeon like it was their own living room lately, so it would've been stranger if they couldn't distinguish themselves in a mere goblin dungeon.

And so, the ‘Class Ranking Match’ came to an end.

When the students of Class A returned to the classroom looking thoroughly excited, Ji Su-hyeon greeted us while sitting on the teacher's desk with a broad smile.

“You're back? My lucky charms.”

Startled by Ji Su-hyeon's unusual appearance, Young-je stepped backward.

“...

Instructor. They said you weren't on the field. You were here?”

“Do you have any idea how hard I worked for you~? When you guys used your bodies to stop anyone from entering the boss room, the other instructors were practically jumping up and down. They were screaming that those bastards had to be dragged out and forcibly recalled. I caused a bit of a scene stopping them, so they kicked me out.”

Ji Su-hyeon chuckled as though remembering the situation.

“Keep doing things like today from now on. While the other bastards argue about morals, you think about efficiency. Use anything you can all the way to the end. That's how the world works, and that's the fastest way to become strong.”

Ji Su-hyeon spoke with a proud smile, stepped down from the teacher's desk, and swept her gaze over us.

“There are no more classes today. Everyone except the kids who received a ‘mentee right’ can leave. Good work.”

The kids grinned at hearing that they could go home earlier than usual and began leaving, until only five people remained in the classroom, including me.

Me, Jin-woo, Young-je, Se-ah.

And Choi Kang-hyun.

“First of all, as the Academy informed me beforehand, I'm going to recommend mentors I know who match your combat styles and abilities. If you disagree, tell me separately.”

With that, Ji Su-hyeon began giving advice starting with Young-je.

“You handle several kinds of magic, right? I recommend ‘Loti’ of the Jamsil Magic Tower. That crazy bitch has a nasty personality, but her ability is the real deal. Since she was a battle mage who fought on the front lines, she'll be a huge help to you.”

Next was Choi Kang-hyun.

“For you, Young Hoem of Busan. He's a man who rose to the top of Busan using his ability to control water, so he'll suit you well. He's rich too, so if he likes you, he might shower you with gifts. Next, Jin-woo.”

Ji Su-hyeon glanced at Jin-woo.

“Learn your bloodline ability from your dad, and for dagger techniques, go see Han Yeo-eun, guild master of the ‘Artemis Guild.’ She's skilled enough to have stuck a knife in my back, so you'll probably learn something. And Se-ah... learn from me, okay? No complaints, right? I'm the best spatial mage in Asia.”

At that, Se-ah hurriedly nodded.

The only one left was me.

“You're the biggest problem. I'm not even sure who I should attach to you.”

For Ji Su-hyeon, who knew my true identity, that was a natural dilemma.

At home alone, there was my father, the head of the Calione Family and the man called the Emperor of the Night, and even now the one handling my successor training was ‘Parnello Ramici,’ known as Calione's Hound.

There was no way coming up with a hero suitable for me would be easy.

“Or do you already have someone in mind?”

Apparently figuring I would, Ji Su-hyeon asked casually.

As expected, her intuition was good.

“Yes. I do.”

“Really? Who?”

At my answer, the gazes of the other kids, including Ji Su-hyeon, gathered on me.

Someone whom I, of all people, would take as a mentor and learn from as a mentee.

In a way, it was only natural that the others would be curious.

A hero I had something to learn from.

I slowly spoke that person's name.

“Kwak Chun-sik. I plan to learn from him.”

“...

Huh?”

At my answer, Ji Su-hyeon made a puzzled expression, while the other kids tilted their heads as though they didn't know who that was.

“Kwak Chun-sik? Grandpa Chun-sik? The one who used to be called Korea's greatest hero? Aura Master Kwak Chun-sik?”

When I nodded at Ji Su-hyeon's question, she burst out laughing with a “Puhah!”

“Hey, don't you know? That old man got really old, caused an incident, and is basically confined in Gangwon Province. And you seriously want that old man as your mentor?”

“He's still registered with the Hero Association, isn't he? Isn't he an honorary director of the Korean Hero Association?”

“That's just an honorary position, so his name's only still on the register! The old man is riddled with age-related problems. Is he even in any condition to take on a disciple?”

Kwak Chun-sik.

A former representative hero of Korea, and someone whose name was always mentioned whenever discussing the strongest heroes in Korean history.

His ability was ‘Innate Qi,’ which allowed him to strengthen his body using aura or shape aura into objects, and he was skilled enough to be called an ‘Aura Master’ overseas.

However, starting ten years ago, he abruptly quit working as a hero on the grounds that he had become too old, and after retirement, he was now living in a place in Gangwon Province called the ‘Hero Silver Town’ for the crime of killing a villain who had tried to kidnap his granddaughter.

“If I go, he'll accept me.”

“Yeah, right. There are even rumors that he can't recognize his own children anymore. Hey, there are other people too, like Uncle Chun-sam, so why are you insisting on applying for that old man as your mentor?”

His ability, ‘Innate Qi,’ was a bloodline ability and had been inherited by his children as well.

Kwak Chun-sik's son, Kwak Chun-sam, was still active as a hero and also served as a director of the Korean Hero Association, so he too could certainly be considered strong.

He was probably one of the top two in Korea.

But.

“There is nothing I can learn from him.”

Simply being a strong hero wasn't enough.

“Ha. So you're really saying you want to learn from Grandpa Chun-sik?”

When I nodded, Ji Su-hyeon sighed as though fed up.

“Look... I'll write the recommendation letter for you, but you know there's nothing I can do if he refuses on his end, right?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“...

Fine. Get your mentors' consent forms by the end of this week, and if it seems like it'll take a while, just contact the Academy in advance and say you'll probably be absent. The recommendation letters... I'll have them all written by tomorrow, so come pick them up.”

After delivering everything she needed to tell us, Ji Su-hyeon turned around.

“That's it. I have to go write recommendation letters, so you guys go home too.”

She waved her hand lightly and disappeared, and Jin-woo beside me was the first to speak.

“Boss. You're seriously going to train under that old man? That guy's been showing up in the news lately for beating up other retired heroes at the silver town.”...

Even this guy is making a fuss.

“If someone else said it, maybe not, but when the president says it like that, I'm curious too. Feels like there must be something there.”

Young-je also seemed curious about why I wanted Kwak Chun-sik as my mentor.

“I have my reasons, so you don't need to worry too much. Every person Instructor Ji Su-hyeon recommended will be a great help to you, so it'd be good if you accepted.”

Since Ji Su-hyeon had lived as a hero for a long time, she was an instructor who was extremely helpful when it came to connections as well.

“If you say that, Eugene, then I won't worry, but...”

Se-ah said as she nodded.

“While we're learning from our mentors, we'll maintain club activities, but prioritize mentor-related activities. Everyone worked hard.”

Then, shall I start figuring out how to win over that stubborn old man?