The Wolf in the Greenhouse (1)
2028. 9. 18. Monday morning, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
If you pass Gyeongbokgung Palace and approach Inwangsan Mountain, you will find a hero training academy with an area of 80,000 square meters.
With the foot of the mountain in autumn as the background, the main building, three annexes, and oak trees densely surrounding them. Outwardly, it’s the same as what we’ve seen through mass media since our previous lives.
The first impression of the nurturing academy, which was nothing special, changed dramatically after entering the empty lecture hall on the 3rd floor of the main building after the admission information process was over.
As the president said, there are things that can only be known through experience.
“Six years of being a reporter! After following the dangerous training academy practice process and vividly delivering the wave beyond the barrier, finally! for the first time! Finally! This is an opportunity to introduce you to our viewers!”
“… … .”
In front of a couple of cameras with eye-popping lights and red light.
I sit to the left of the bobbed-haired reporter and gaze at the other person.
Was this an interview?
Shaking shoulders, ever-changing facial expressions, exaggerated tone… It felt a bit embarrassing.
“I’ve introduced the HT group heroes several times, so some people might say ‘yes again’, but today is really different. Right away, this is the third melee dealer Awakener- Lee Yong-soo’s exclusive interview! Applause!”
“… … .”
“hahahaha, you must be very nervous?”
Not so.
Except for the exaggerated behavior of the reporter, rather than nervous, he felt calm.
Of course, it felt a little strange.
There was a time when people with a lot of money only acted as they wished – there was a time when they cursed at heroes, but now I’m the one who did it.
what.
I’ll have to get used to it gradually.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ll solve it well! Then, please introduce yourself to the viewers! with spirit! With feeling!”
“… hello. This is Lee Yong-soo.”
“… … .”
“… … .”
“End… Are you?”
“… Yes.”
You will gradually adapt.
Fortunately, things went smoothly after that.
Record-breaking Awoken test scores, motivations for applying to melee dealers, future plans, and more.
The moderator asked questions that were set according to the script, and I also gave answers that were reviewed by the manager.
“Then now for the official personal interview questions! Is there a hero you admire?”
“This is Dayun Kim.”
“As expected. It was the tradition of the HT Group to point out the person immediately above you, right?”
“… … .”
Of course, there were some questions that were embarrassing to answer, but he endured using silence as a tool because it was enough to just say something.
“Oh, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Da-yoon Kim is also famous enough to have a fan club because she was in her 3rd year at the training academy and ranked 62nd in the under ranking (pre-graduation). It’s not wrong, when I followed the dispatch mission, Mr. Dayoon shot electricity with both hands… … . I’m sure the viewers at the time felt the same thrill, right? The monster bastard flipped over with all six legs shaking! So that’s what I mean, hmmm. Which aspect did you fall in love with? What are the three charm points of Dayun Kim?”
“… … ”
Then, the question at the end really touched my heart, so instead of giving an answer, I just looked at the other person quietly.
Inevitably, follow-up becomes the manager’s role.
Park Yu-jin stopped the recording for a while and went inside the angle and asked the reporter to follow the script, and asked me to loosen up my expression.
Soon after, the interview resumed with an apology from the person in charge.
“Which class do you think would be the most interesting?”
“Dispatch.”
“ah… That’s right too. But don’t we have to form a team to go outside the barrier?”
I reply while relaxing my face muscles, and get hit in the bone by an unexpected point.
“… team.”
“Yes. Theory classes and practice are important, but the development academy encourages heroes of the same age to form a team in the first place. Lee Yong-soo transfers from the first year, and that is from mid-September. Above all, there are cooperative practical classes.”
Yeah, looking back, it was.
If I was an out-of-standard existence who just liked to be alone in my previous life, it is unwritten rule for heroes to form a team on the contrary (I considered myself a coward at the time).
It was generally composed of at least six heads, but one tanker and one melee dealer, and other combat personnel according to the needs of the air commander.
damn it
I only knew the reality that melee dealers were in the limelight, but I didn’t even think about why. Is there such a shit idiot in the world?
Plus, to make matters worse.
Let’s hear it… There are no exceptions.
“… Do I really need to find a team?”
“As far as I know, yes. Legally, heroes must be enrolled in a raid. That’s right, wouldn’t it be easier to attack the top monsters if you match your hands and feet from a young age? Even if we don’t know each other… role training? It’s also called positioning, but it’s like preparing for that in advance.”
“… You can catch a high-ranking monster alone, right?”
When I turn around and express that I could be that ‘exception’, the reporter waves a hand with a small smile.
Rather than ridicule, the meaning of euphemistic rejection.
“Citizens will hate that. Looking at the heroes in the top 10 of the international ranking, I don’t think it’s impossible, but it’s not comparable in terms of safety. If you accidentally stumble on a stone and fall down, who will take the monster’s attack instead? What if the attack fails while leaving the angry monster behind?”
“… … .”
Reflecting on my personal history, I understood deep down, but on the other hand, I couldn’t stop the feeling of backlash from rising up.
There must be only aspiring heroes everywhere, leaving my back to them.
of course.
It was fortunate that the goddess didn’t send a message, asking to save a colleague.
After a while.
Because the end of the interview coincides exquisitely with the break time, I meet dozens of pairs of eyes as soon as I step out into the hallway.
“Are you doing an interview already?”
“You’re a close dealer. I am also a member of the HT group.”
“That’s right. But it looks very different from what I imagined. When I heard the test scores, I thought I would be two meters tall.”
Originally, wherever people live, rumors spread, but I didn’t like the sight of them talking openly in front of me.
But anyway, after exchanging formal greetings with the broadcasting staff, there was not much time left to take a break.
At the urging of the school guide, I take the elevator and go down to the second floor.
“There are a total of two classes I have to take today. one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I came in as a transfer, so for the time being I will be listening in the form of an observer, and the subject selection will be in a month-”
While receiving a simple schedule, manager Park Yoo-jin handed over items necessary for class, such as electronic pads and booklets. Not long after that, when we reached the 2-2 classroom, a knot of conversation was naturally formed.
“There are about three minutes until the next class. Usually, I even help with self-introduction, but I don’t have enough time because of the interview… … . I told Professor Won Yoo-jong separately. Then I’m done.”
In the form of an observer, there is no need to introduce yourself.
However, as the guide hurriedly left with a light eye salute, without time to express personal questions, I turned my head and glanced across the white door.
Nearly 20 aspiring heroes are looking at each other in groups.
I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but there wasn’t a face that stood out in particular.
“Don’t be too nervous. No matter what anyone says, Yongsu belongs to the HT group, and everyone did it as long as they tried to look good, because you won’t show dislike.”
what is tension
The bustling environment of the nurturing academy is just a little annoying, but there is no way to be intimidated by being hated by someone- Instead of saying hello with a small bitter smile, I walk into the classroom.
And obviously, the reactions of the would-be heroes were sharply divided.
Eyes with a meaning of curiosity or restraint.
However, when it comes to reactions to outsiders, it’s something I’ve experienced outside the barriers, so I focus on finding a place rather than caring about people.
Ideally, it would be nice to have a safe place to escape in case of an emergency, with a view of the entire room.
Therefore, my choice is to sit at the end of the tiered classroom, by the window. Although the number of people reached 20, there was no need to think about the next best thing thanks to the row of items in the front seat.
“Pull forward and sit down.”
“… … .”
That moment.
I turned my head at the voice I heard from the lecture table, and the person I thought was a student pointed to the front row with a wink.
“The rule is to sit in the front of my class.”
Hearing what he said, he seemed to hold the position of professor, and he was reluctantly heading towards the middle row.
He immediately closed the classroom door and immediately turned on the projector and projected it onto the entire blackboard.
「Principle of Skill Phenomenon: Professor Yujong Won」
“As you can see, there is a transfer student coming in during the semester, but there is no need for them to do stupid things like self-introduction. The hero training academy is a place of competition, and making allies and enemies is also your own choice. However, there are parts that must be mentioned out of necessity.”
“… … .”
in the midst of this
As the music announcing the end of the break belatedly rang out, the people around me who were paying attention also took their seats one by one.
The professor opens the introduction of the lecture by adding smooth speech to his slender appearance.
“I’m sure you remember my explanation of ‘spells’ at the beginning of the semester. Skills are given innately, but spells are uttered through the mouth, and I said that this is a kind of tool that helps materialize skills smoothly.”
“Yes.”
“For example, something like this.”
Suddenly, sparks jumped out of the fingers on the podium.
Even if you hit it a lot, it’s the size of a walnut, and it’s small and insignificant.
“This is a [flame] manifested in an image. In the case of a high-powered person, you should be able to summon the maximum without a spell, but on the contrary, if you have little experience and are not free to use skills, it is better to get help. After this, the order.”
“… … .”
[Flame, unfold your cruel and beautiful feathers for pure destruction.]
one after another
This time, a flame the size of a fist bloomed, which was a shame compared to the previous one, and scattered countless sparks around the lectern.
“In addition, regardless of the level of the person with the ability, the more powerful the ability, the farther the target is or the more complex the method used in reality, the more indispensable the spell is. If so, why did I bring up what I said again?”
“… … .”
At this, as if everyone knew the answer, even the guys in the front seat turned their heads to the back and shot their eyes at my face.
“Can anyone explain properly?”
“… Aren’t you trying to explain the spell’s weakness?”
“The name?”
“This is Arum Lee of AKE.”
It feels rather unsightly to add the company name in front of the name, but the professor just shakes his head and continues talking.
so I… I turned my attention to the booklet on the desk.
It was all right, and I thought it was a good class, but personally, it was something I had already experienced while rolling my body on the floor.
[Theory Class – Years 1 and 2]
[Tactical Class – all grades]
[Real Game – 4th grade or within the top 100 in school rankings]
Rather, it seemed better to grapple with the problems of the academic process.
“right. The more complex and longer the spell, the more damage it can do, but in reality it’s like giving up half your life. In particular, not only the tightness of time, but also the efficiency-”
“Sounds like you should never fight melee dealers.”
And then, as if out of nowhere, the atmosphere inside the classroom hardens in an instant at the sound of words flying from the right side of the classroom.
I’d heard it roughly, but it probably didn’t mean that.
“… The name?”
“He’s NTY’s thief.”
“Originally, I tried to make an indirect analogy through the monster, but you are not wrong. If they are of the same rank, it would be wiser not to fight.”
“But-“
“Stubbornness does not turn a disadvantageous situation into an advantage. Above all, the difference in energy consumption is large. Melee dealers generally deal with body-enhancing abilities, while ranged dealers project energy outward. It is true that it is fundamentally unfavorable.”
“… … .”
yes.
It all sounded right.
“If you don’t like my answer, you can ask me directly. Lee Yong-soo.”
Just, wouldn’t it have been necessary to ask me- I did have doubts.