seattlejaycees Chapter 103 : Chapter 103
Chapter 103 : Chapter 103
Chapter 103: Flower Blooming in the Mud (5)
This was before Baek Ha-seong and Choi Yu-seong met.
It was a time when the barrier was being breached and villains were joining the invasion in full force.
“Damn it! How did this happen?!”
The situation room where the instructors were gathered was busier than ever.
It was only natural.
Think back to the previous gate practical training and the events of the midterm exams.
Had they ever managed to stop a villain invasion back then?
Not once had they properly defended against one.
“Move faster! Find a solution now!”
However, there had been a somewhat vague excuse back then.
The fact was that the villains had secretly infiltrated in the shadows.
It was only natural that it was difficult for instructors, who lacked detection abilities, to stop them.
But.
“If we fail to do anything even when they invade this openly……”
Unlike the previous incidents, the villains were now invading quite flashily.
At this moment, no excuse could be tolerated.
Thus, the complexions of the instructors grew darker and darker.
It was then.
BOOM!!
The door to the situation room swung open with a tremendous roar.
When the instructors looked that way all at once at the sound, a middle-aged man was standing there.
Despite the already busy situation, this man had entered while making a loud noise that he did not necessarily need to make.
However, among the instructors in the situation room, no one said anything about it.
That was because…….
“What on earth are you all doing? Huh?! How are you handling this situation?!”
He was the highest authority of Glory Academy. He was the Principal.
At the indignant shout of Principal Jo Yeong-dal, the instructors all remained as silent as stone.
What could they possibly say in this situation?
In times like this, keeping one's mouth shut was the best policy.
Of course, Principal Jo Yeong-dal’s anger flared up even more upon seeing that sight…….
“Whew. For now, find some solutions quickly.”
He calmed his boiling heart and commanded the instructors in a steady voice.
He also knew.
Getting even angrier here would not change anything.
Besides.
'Technically, it is not the fault of the people here.'
In fact, it was ambiguous to call it the fault of the instructors here.
What kind of barrier was the one created to protect the cadets during the exam?
It was a barrier created by the hands of Hong Sera, who was one of the Hero-Rank players.
Yet, to expect mere instructors to stop those who not only pierced such a barrier but also used it against them?
'That would be nonsensical.'
Although he had retired from the front lines, he was also an S-Rank player.
He was not a man who lacked rational judgment and would lash out without reason.
He had lost his temper earlier because he could not contain himself upon hearing the sudden news, but that was not his original personality.
If he were like that, he would never have reached the position of Principal of Glory.
“…….”
Anyway, as Jo Yeong-dal waited quietly while suppressing his boiling anger.
“I—I did it!”
A small shout burst out from the mouth of an instructor who was working hard on something.
And Jo Yeong-dal did not miss that small cry.
“What is it?”
“We have reconnected with the drones deployed on the island!”
“Is that true?!”
“Yes. However, only the camera part is connected, so we can only see the interior of the island……”
“That is fine! Quickly connect the screen.”
The instructor added the last part in a dejected voice, but what did it matter?
At this point, being able to check the interior was a miracle in itself.
It would be the same as before, having to just stomp his feet without being able to do anything, but…….
'Being able to see the cadets is a start.'
Jo Yeong-dal thought that way and shouted toward the instructor.
“Hurry up and bring up the screen to see if the kids are safe!”
His appearance felt quite out of place.
If one remembered what Choi Yu-seong had said, was it not so?
He had called the Principal a man who chased only honor and power without caring for the lives of the cadets, yet his current behavior seemed very different from that.
Well, it was actually natural.
The perspective Choi Yu-seong had was, in the end, strictly the viewpoint of the heroes he admired.
But.
“Transmitting the screen now!”
“Yes. Let us check it immediately!”
If he were such a bloodless and tearless piece of trash, could he have become the Principal of Glory?
No, if that were the case, he would have been a villain, not a player, in the first place.
Of course, that did not mean Jo Yeong-dal had no greed for honor or power.
It simply meant that he was also a player and an educator, so he possessed a certain amount of human compassion.
Anyway, after the view inside the island was transmitted to the screen.
Upon seeing it, Jo Yeong-dal….
“…They are holding out better than I thought,”
He felt relieved.
And at the same time, he could not help but be surprised.
“It was supposed to be an exam using the entire island, yet they managed to gather like that. This is quite surprising.”
Furthermore, they gathered toward the center, and even those who had been eliminated joined forces.
When Jo Yeong-dal could not hide his surprise at the sight, an instructor who was watching with him added a comment.
“It seems to be due to the tactics devised by a few cadets.”
“Tactics?”
“Yes. Led by Cadet Choi Yu-seong, several cadets including Kim Su-hyeok and Ryu Jin-oh devised an encirclement tactic.”
“Cadet Choi Yu-seong… the name sounds familiar.”
“It is likely because he is a cadet associated with the player Shin Yu-hwan.”
“So that was it.”
He wondered why the name sounded familiar despite the low rank, and it turned out there was a reason.
He remembered the events of the midterm exams clearly.
'That was quite a major incident.'
The villain attack that occurred during the midterm exams.
If Choi Yu-seong had not brought Shin Yu-hwan, a major disaster surely would have occurred.
Because Shin Yu-hwan had discovered and stopped the villains early, there had been no damage.
Thinking about it now, the boy was truly a godsend.
'Even if it was a coincidence, grabbing onto it is also a skill.'
Of course, it was not a coincidence.
However, from Jo Yeong-dal’s perspective, what did that matter?
As long as the result was good, it was all that mattered.
As Jo Yeong-dal thought that while looking around the drone footage.
“Come to think of it, I do not see Cadet Choi Yu-seong……?”
Even though he looked around after hearing the name Choi Yu-seong from the instructor, Choi Yu-seong was nowhere to be seen.
When Jo Yeong-dal expressed his doubt, the instructor also seemed to have noticed.
“You are right. I cannot find him either……”
“He—He could not have been defeated or something, right?”
He did not even want to imagine it.
The controversy over a cadet's death would also be a huge problem if it were to happen.
However, there was a reason Jo Yeong-dal showed such a reaction.
'If a cadet whom Shin Yu-hwan is interested in were to die because of an academy problem…….'
A disaster would surely break out.
Principal Jo Yeong-dal was one of the people who knew Shin Yu-hwan’s personality painfully well.
Just recalling the moments when Shin Yu-hwan was a student at Glory in the past…….
'I absolutely cannot allow that!'
…It was horrific.
The memories were so intense that he wanted to stop thinking about them after just a brief reflection.
He could guarantee that if anything happened to Choi Yu-seong, Shin Yu-hwan would come looking for them with the intent to kill the academy's instructors.
Therefore, Jo Yeong-dal began to watch the drone footage even more meticulously with the instructors with a sense of urgency.
“Ah! I think he is over there!”
“What? Where?!”
Not long after, they succeeded in finding Choi Yu-seong.
Jo Yeong-dal felt relieved for a moment.
However, he had no choice but to fix his eyes on the screen again at the instructor’s following words.
“He is all alone. But…… it seems he is confronting someone.”
“Is it a villain?”
“It seems so.”
To be isolated in a remote place and confronting a villain.
It was by no means a good situation.
Even if he was a cadet Shin Yu-hwan was interested in, was he not still just a Year 1 cadet?
'Still, he might have a plan.'
It was a matter worth considering from the opposite side as well.
Even if he was only a Year 1 cadet, he was a cadet that Shin Yu-hwan showed interest in.
If so, was it not possible that he had stayed behind alone because he had some sort of plan?
Judging by the situation, he seemed to be a cadet skilled in tactical aspects as well.
However, Jo Yeong-dal’s thoughts were shattered not long after.
The appearance of the villain confronting Choi Yu-seong had entered his field of vision.
“Th—Th—That……!”
Jo Yeong-dal was so excited that he even stuttered.
The instructors looked at him with puzzled gazes.
“Wh—Why is that guy……”
Jo Yeong-dal did not even care about those gazes.
That was understandable; how could he calm down after seeing the opponent Choi Yu-seong was currently confronting?
An S-Rank villain, for whom a plan to handle them would take years to devise, was standing right there.
“What on earth is the matter?”
However, not everyone here knew that fact.
Baek Ha-seong’s existence was kept secret despite him being an S-Rank villain.
Jo Yeong-dal likely would not have known if he did not have the authority as an S-Rank player.
“…….”
Jo Yeong-dal pondered upon receiving the instructor’s question.
How should he answer that?
Some people might ask why he was pondering such a thing and why he didn't just tell the truth.
But those were the words of someone who was too optimistic.
'If I tell them the truth, their morale will likely drop sharply.'
The instructors were working hard to find a way to enter the island to save the cadets.
In such a situation, what?
Should he blurt out that the person over there was an S-Rank villain?
'I absolutely cannot.'
It was something that could not happen.
Therefore, it was just as Jo Yeong-dal was about to tell the instructors it was nothing.
“The Irregular……”
A voice was heard among the instructors.
And those were words that could never be heard and then simply ignored.
The Irregular was Baek Ha-seong’s epithet.
Thus, when Jo Yeong-dal snapped his head toward the owner of that voice, Im Seong-cheol was standing there.
At that sight, Jo Yeong-dal thought to himself.
'Oh no, now that I think about it, Instructor Im also knows.'
He had forgotten.
The fact that Instructor Im had been active in the national villain response team before coming to Glory.
But what was forgotten was forgotten.
'I cannot just leave it like this.'
He did not know how it would be since the instructor was usually a man of few words, but he could not just leave him be.
It would be troublesome if the talk about an S-Rank villain came out.
Therefore, Jo Yeong-dal immediately approached Im Seong-cheol.
“Listen here, Instructor Im.”
“…….”
“Hey, at least pretend to answer when the Principal calls.”
When he rebuked him for not answering, Im Seong-cheol finally looked back at Jo Yeong-dal.
Jo Yeong-dal let out a sigh at the sight.
'I suppose it cannot be helped.'
Others might be fooled by Im Seong-cheol’s blunt personality and not know, but he could not fool someone like himself who had spent a lifetime reading the room to reach this position.
He knew the fact that the instructor cared for the cadets tremendously.
'Moreover, he is a cadet from the class Instructor Im is in charge of.'
Such a reaction was natural.
Of course, that did not mean he had the luxury to be considerate of him right now.
“You. Listen well.”
Therefore, Jo Yeong-dal approached Im Seong-cheol and spoke in a whisper.
“You must absolutely not say that the person over there is the Irregular.”
“…….”
“I know well that you are worried about the cadets. I am saying this for that very reason. How much do you think morale will drop if you tell the truth?”
“…I understand. You do not have to worry.”
“Yes. And you should also relax your face.”
Jo Yeong-dal continued while looking at Im Seong-cheol’s expression.
“Why is a man who is already blunt scowling like that?”
“But……”
“If it is because of the Irregular, you do not have to worry too much for now.”
How could he say not to worry when an S-Rank villain was standing right there on the island?
However, Jo Yeong-dal’s words made sense.
“He is an S-Rank villain in the first place. Instructor Im, do you not also know well that if he had intended to act, there would already be no hope?”
“…….”
“Besides, even though he is an S-Rank villain, the Irregular has virtually never caused an incident. You understand what I mean, do you not?”
It was true.
If Baek Ha-seong had made up his mind, the situation on the island would have been settled in less than an hour.
“Yes. I understand.”
Therefore, Im Seong-cheol expressed his understanding.
But did we not all know?
That situations always….
“Excuse me, I think you should see this.”
At the words of the instructor who was still monitoring the screen, Jo Yeong-dal and Im Seong-cheol immediately turned their gazes.
“Wh—What?!”
There, they saw Choi Yu-seong and Baek Ha-seong.
However, unlike before, the two were now each taking a combat stance.
And at that sight, Jo Yeong-dal thought.
He thought that no matter what, things had gone completely and utterly wrong. He did not know how to stop Im Seong-cheol beside him.
In short.
'I think I am screwed.'
His life as a Principal.
His greatest ordeal had begun.