Chapter 76

Chapter 76

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 76In the end, what I did all day was less about the Aura Style itself and more about learning how to move aura in everyday life and shape its form.

“Sir, rather than doing things like this, wouldn't it be better if you taught me the formulas of the Aura Style first?”

“If you learned that now, your body would explode and you'd die. Do you still want to learn it?”

“...

Do I move it like this here?”

“That's right. You have to move it that way there.”

After hearing the reason, it seemed that because my aura was still violent and had the tendency to spread on its own, if I moved it according to the flow of the Aura Style, my body would explode.

In the end, it meant I had to grind away at the basics, but I couldn't fly all the way to Gangwon Province every day just for this.

In that case... I'd have no choice but to use another method.

“Sir. If you could leave Silver Town a little earlier, would you?”

“Hm? What's with that out of nowhere?”

It was during a short break.

Kwak Chun-sik looked puzzled at the sudden question I brought up.

“I was thinking that maybe it's about time you could leave Silver Town.”

“Ha, you think that can happen so easily?”

Kwak Chun-sik waved his hand dismissively as though I'd said something ridiculous.

“At first, even the Association bastards turned a blind eye when I killed villains. Naturally, because of all the contributions I've made until now. But at some point, the government rather than the Association began putting pressure on me. Saying even villains have the right to a trial. Of course, they wouldn't have sent me here for only that reason.”

As he guessed, the reason the government sent him to Hero Silver Town was to keep the Association's power from growing any further.

After all, to the government, the Association was practically an armed organization surpassing even the military.

The presidential assassination mission connected to this was pretty fun too.

“I nearly ended up in Niflheim as I was, and only barely got sent here because the youngsters in the Association submitted a petition. And you think someone like me can leave this place?”

It was the textbook answer.

But the world didn't always proceed according to textbooks.

I gave him a slight smile.

“There's no reason it can't happen.”

“...

What?”

“Have you forgotten who I am?”

The reason Calione could act more freely than other organizations in the Republic of Korea was that its collusion between politics and business was extremely well established.

Even when we dealt with the Blunty Family or caused an incident at the abandoned factory complex in Gunsan, hadn't we joyfully fired guns everywhere without a single mention in the news or anyone making an issue of it?

“Even so, how could I accept your help? I'll just grow old and die here.”

“Ha, says the man whose study is covered in photos of his granddaughter.”

“Then where are you telling me to go after leaving here? The government exiled me in the first place because it was trying to keep the Association in check. Do you really think they'd sit quietly and let me return to the Association?”

Well, if that's what you're worried about, there was no problem.

“There's one more place besides the Association that would accept you.”

“...

What?”

I smiled and said exactly what I'd prepared.

“You can come to the Academy. A retired hero teaching young heroes for the future of the Republic of Korea. It looks good, and it gives you a proper justification too.”

That was my real goal.

The Academy was an organization belonging to neither the Association nor the government.

The moment Kwak Chun-sik left Silver Town while declaring that he would teach students at the Academy, they would lose any justification for opposing him.

Why?

Because they couldn't obstruct the justification of a hero once called a legend taking a teaching position.

Doing so would directly contradict the very reasons they claimed for their own existence: respecting the free will of Awakened individuals and actively supporting the training and protection of superhumans.

Besides, it wasn't bad for them either.

The reason they feared Kwak Chun-sik was because they worried that someone who already possessed more than enough power and prestige might seize real authority within the Association and wage war against them.

But if he didn't return to the Association and instead took a teaching position at the Academy?

They could actually keep him under observation through the Academy staff, instructors, and students.

At that moment, I saw hesitation pass across Kwak Chun-sik's face.

“Most importantly, you'd be able to see your granddaughter every day.”

“...

My granddaughter? You mean Ji-yu?”

Was his granddaughter's name Kwak Ji-yu?

Anyway.

“Yes. I heard Seoul Hero Academy plans to open elementary and preschool divisions this time. It's still something only being discussed among the upper-level faculty, but it's certain. And... your granddaughter has awakened as well, hasn't she?”

It was an opportunity to constantly see the granddaughter he'd wanted to see so badly at the Academy.

Would a man who doted on his granddaughter that much really want to let such an opportunity slip by?

“If you came to the Academy as an instructor, you'd surely be able to see your granddaughter whenever you wanted. On top of that.”

I smiled, preparing the finishing blow.

“Wouldn't this also be a chance to show your granddaughter how impressive her grandfather is as a teacher of superhumans? Imagine her going around bragging to everyone, ‘My grandpa is a teacher here! Jealous?’”

I could see the corners of Kwak Chun-sik's mouth slowly rising.

That meant he was practically won over already.

“Wait. I need some time to think.”

Was it because he'd have to leave the Silver Town where he'd lived for several years? Apparently, he needed some time.

But I already knew how this story would end.

In the end, he wouldn't be able to resist.

“I see.”

“Yes. I'll organize my thoughts a little. Ah, you can go back for today.”

“Pardon? Right now?”

All I'd learned so far was techniques for shaping mana.

If I went home like this, I'd definitely have spare time.

“Yes. First, practice until you can shape simple forms even without the bracelet. Once you can do that, we'll move on to the next stage.”

With that, Kwak Chun-sik gradually disappeared from my sight, waving one hand without even looking back.

It's good that he completely fell for my proposal, but still... now I've got time left over.

While I was thinking about how to use the remaining time.

“Ah.”

I noticed the screen of the smartphone where I'd left the GPS window open before coming here, and a good idea occurred to me.

“Wasn't there a wild ginseng field around here?”

In the game, if you wandered around the Inje area of Gangwon Province, there was an event where you had a certain chance of discovering a wild ginseng field.

More importantly, in this world's setting, wild ginseng altered by the waves of mana generated when a dungeon appeared became a species called mana wild ginseng, possessing effects no different from an elixir.

Good. Knowing Kwak Chun-sik's personality, he definitely wouldn't have gone around digging things like that up, so it should still be there.

“Well, I can get home a little late.”

I'd been wondering how to repay the gifts I received from the bosses of the other Families last time, and this was the perfect opportunity.

Mana wild ginseng was good as an elixir, but it was also excellent as stamina food.

I immediately summoned the item I'd obtained last time, [Dimensional Storage]

, changed clothes, and headed toward the place where a dungeon had formed in the past.

According to the game's setting, there should definitely be a wild ginseng field somewhere around here.

“Alright, shall I start looking?”

Aside from mandatory events, dungeons also appeared randomly in the game, so naturally, the locations of mana wild ginseng affected by them weren't fixed every playthrough either.

Normally, that meant they were difficult to find.

However.[Activating 「Skill: Aura Sonar」.]

Right now, I had a skill that made that easy.

Because I was wearing the bracelet, spreading aura over a wide area felt somewhat difficult, but as I slowly spread it through the ground like roots taking hold, I gradually became accustomed to it.

“Oh.”

Eventually, I began to feel that the aura spreading ahead of me was being affected by mana.

It was a different sensation from anything I'd felt before.

Before wearing the bracelet, I could only identify shapes, but this time... should I say I could feel the flow of mana?

It was quite a fascinating sensation.

I retrieved my aura and slowly walked as though hiking.

The scent of earth and the fresh air full of phytoncides.

But at some point, I began sensing a rich scent of mana in the air.

Slowly looking around, I saw clusters of plants bearing red berries.

“...

Found it.”

It was exactly the kind of situation where I had no choice but to shout, Found it!

Smiling naturally with joy, I stepped into the middle of the wild ginseng field and looked around.

Everywhere I looked were top-quality wild ginseng plants bearing bright red berries.

Maybe around thirty roots?

More than enough for me to eat and still distribute some as gifts.

Although I didn't know how many years each one had grown, that was something I could figure out later.

“Then shall I get ready?”

I immediately loosened up my body and looked around.

Now it was time to prepare for the buy-one-get-one-free bonus.

With elixirs scattered everywhere like this, there would naturally be something occupying the area.

It must have noticed that I'd entered its territory, so it was obvious it would start heading this way soon.

“...

There you are.”

I could feel the ground trembling in the distance.

Trees toppled with cracking sounds, and flocks of birds flew high into the sky.───────!!

Crashing through countless trees as it approached was a gigantic bear exhaling blue mana from its nostrils.

“Just how much wild ginseng have you eaten for mana to pour out just from breathing?”

An Asiatic black bear that had consumed mana wild ginseng.

Its gallbladder must have become an elixir containing a considerable amount of mana as well.

“I was feeling stiff because of this bracelet anyway. Want to play for a bit?”

____________

The result of consuming the mana wild ginseng after returning home was beyond my imagination.

First of all, operating the aura that had felt awkward because of the bracelet became somewhat more flexible.

Just in case, I tried circulating aura even after taking the bracelet off, and found that the aura moved more violently than usual.

Apparently, it was related to the heat rising through my body after eating the mana wild ginseng.

I tried eating another root just in case, but as expected, my condition merely improved and there wasn't any major change.

In this world, it was natural that repeatedly consuming the same elixir wouldn't give much additional effect, so I wasn't particularly disappointed.

More importantly, the highlight of the day was the gallbladder of the Asiatic black bear that had long consumed mana wild ginseng.[Name: Mana Asiatic Black Bear Gallbladder][Rank: Rare][Type: Elixir][Description: The gallbladder of an Asiatic black bear that transformed into a spiritual creature after consuming the oldest mana wild ginseng. It cannot currently be consumed and must be processed to gain its effects.]

An elixir material that had to be processed before it could even be consumed.

The material itself already had a Rare rank, so my heart was already pounding at the thought of how incredible an elixir it might become after processing.

Who would be best to entrust with processing the elixir?

Just as I was about to make a list while recalling famous herbalists from the game.-~♬The smartphone I'd left on the bed began ringing.

The current time was 9 p.m.

If it were organization business, someone would've come in person to deliver the message, so was there anyone who would contact me at this hour?

Thinking that, I walked over and checked the smartphone, and the caller's name was displayed.[Kim Se-ah]

“Se-ah?”

Did Se-ah have any reason to call me at this hour?

Feeling puzzled, I swiped the answer button and picked up the call.

“...

Hello?”[H-huh? Y-you answered. E-Eugene?]

Unlike her usual lively voice, Se-ah's voice was trembling badly, as though she were terrified.

Something felt wrong.

“...

Did something happen?”[Y-yes... I... um... sob! Something... I think something went wrong...]

“Went wrong? What do you mean?”[They keep saying they have all the evidence... and they say there's a witness too... I don't understand what's going on...]

Evidence? Witness? What the hell was she talking about...

“Where are you right now?”[I... sob! I'm at the police station. The police station...]

Apparently, there was a problem.