Chapter 65

“Move aside! I don’t want to end up with a hole in my back!”

“Yikes! Just a second!”

As soon as Han Min-ha turned sharply to the side, Yu Hye-won’s I-race shot past that exact spot.

Two fatal beams of golden light quickly struck the moving target with precision.

Piiiiik!

The alarm signaling a successful hit loudly rang out.

Currently, Han Min-ha and Yu Hye-won are training in joint combat techniques at the integrated combat training field.

This is the place where the Human Combat Ability Evaluation took place. On regular days, it can simulate various real-world combat scenarios with different types of moving targets.

Originally, to use a training field like this for a small group, you’d need to book it well in advance and wait quite a bit. But we’ve been lucky this time.

The education system is currently undergoing restructuring, leaving things somewhat chaotic, and hastily forming teams to go straight into training like this is extremely risky.

However, Han Min-ha and Yu Hye-won have been under my guidance for the past semester, and I know them well, which is why we’ve been able to jump straight into the training.

Sitting in the control tower, I took the microphone to guide their training.

“Student Min-ha, if you avoid something, conduct evasive maneuvers! The moment after changing direction is the most dangerous.”

“Understood, professor! Aaaaaagh!”

Han Min-ha, who had flown thoughtlessly out of the way of Hye-won’s I-race, gasped and activated his Aura as a target surged up from below.

The target shattered upon colliding with Han Min-ha’s pure Aura.

Min-ha’s Aura is so heavy and dense that the mere presence of it around his body functions as a formidable weapon.

“Your improvisation is commendable, Student Min-ha, but if that target had been a real villain, it wouldn’t have been the target that broke—it would have been you. When such a situation arises, deploying a defensive barrier or making a rapid escape is preferable to direct impact.”

“Yes! I’ll remember that!”

“And immediately after losing the target, Student Hye-won’s counterattack should enter the fray promptly. Yes, that’s it. Good.”

Before I even finished speaking, Yu Hye-won ascended rapidly with tremendous speed and fired her I-race, piercing the target with precision.

“That’s enough for today. Land, please. Everyone, great work!”

After leaving the control tower, I informed the training field staff that the session was over.

Soon, orbital cleaning robots emerged from beneath the spectators’ benches and began to vacuum up the scattered fragments.

Yu Hye-won and Han Min-ha, who had landed on the ground, were in the process of unzipping their practice suits, which had become dirty from the flying debris.

“Great job. Are you injured anywhere?”

“No. Just a little annoyed.”

At that, Yu Hye-won shot a glance at Han Min-ha.

“I keep telling you not to stand between me and my target!”

“Uh-huh. Got it. I’ll move faster.”

“Seriously, if you wave that giant butt around in front of my face one more time, I’ll turn you both into skewers!”

“Yikes!”

Han Min-ha, startled, shrank back.

It’s certainly true; with the tight-fitting training suits, every curve stands out embarrassingly.

Apparently, when students get their suits tailored during graduation season, it would be better to opt for the mechanical ones.

Mechanical suits come equipped with external armor and various combat assistance devices, which help divert attention.

They also include communication devices and the ability to monitor vital signs, as well as various other useful functions.

When I was with the Sikritos, I used a mechanical suit.

The downside, of course, is that they’re incredibly expensive.

That’s why Ivyrunner, the sidekick I met on the highway last time, was wearing a regular latex suit without any auxiliary functions.

“Ah, it’s so hot in this thing. This is completely trash.”

Yu Hye-won complained while forcefully pulling down the zipper of her suit.

There’s one more thing: mechanical suits also come with cooling and heating functions.

With the zipper pulled down to her navel, the suit revealed a white T-shirt saturated with sweat and practically transparent.

“Wow, look at this. It’s like I fell into water.”

Yu Hye-won frowned as she flapped the T-shirt plastered to her stomach.

In contrast, Han Min-ha, despite being drenched in sweat, absolutely refused to lower his zipper.

Despite his hair sticking to his face like seaweed and sweat dripping off his chin, he merely sighed and removed his goggles.

“Huff. It’s hot.”

Even though it was already mid-September, the midday sun was still scorching.

Autumn is usually hot during the day and cold at night, but this year, the temperature difference has been particularly extreme.

“Everyone’s worked hard. As your daily routine winds down, prepare for Physical Training.”

“Huh? Professor? Are you really asking us to do Physical Training in this state?”

With her top half of the suit completely off and dangling by her waist, Yu Hye-won protested.

The wet T-shirt underneath clearly revealed a black sports bra, prompting me to politely avert my eyes.

“Physical Training is about consistency, Student Hye-won. If you skip one day, you’ll get lazy and want to skip more.”

“Who doesn’t know that? Hey, Min-ha, have we ever skipped Physical Training?”

“Not once.”

With that proof, Hye-won turned to look at me and I smiled at her.

“Alright. Then off you go to prepare. Great job!”

“Wait, Professor, something feels off.”

“What do you mean?”

“With the whole new team zero system, everything else changed. Why should Physical Training be the only thing that stays the same? If you’re now our homeroom professor, shouldn’t you guide Physical Training as well?”

“Well, I haven’t received instructions from the professorial council to do that.”

“Still, that’s unacceptable, right? Professor, are you really the type of person who just does what the council tells you to do? What do you think, sweat-box?”

Han Min-ha glanced back and forth between me and Hye-won, sweat dripping from his brow.

“Um… is that so? I don’t know…”

“Don’t you think it would be nice to have the professor train with us?”

“Ahh, yeah, it would be. But Professor must be busy, so you don’t have to come to Physical Training unless you want to…”

“In any case, you’re saying it’s fine?”

With Hye-won’s persistence, I finally smiled and spoke.

“Alright then. Let’s do Physical Training together today. Meet at the Training Field later.”

And thus, I participated in Physical Training for the first time since coming to the Academy.

* * * * *

After changing into training gear and milling around the parade ground, the Physical Training instructors noticed me and said hello.

“Hello, Professor.”

“Hello. Hard work, everyone.”

The Physical Training instructors for the freshmen are those renowned Maroon Berets.

An elite rescue unit made up exclusively of individuals with abilities rivaling heroes.

During my time with the Sikritos, I often saw them rescue incapacitated teammates after combat.

“What brings you here today? Are you here to observe?”

“No, not at all. My guidance students insisted they wanted to do Physical Training with me.”

“Ah, I see. The students must really like you.”

“Haha. Is that so?”

Right then, the students, dressed in green and white PE uniforms, entered the Training Field.

Spotting Hye-won and Min-ha wasn’t difficult.

With her shining golden hair and impressive figure, Hye-won stands out wherever she is.

After finishing group stretches, everyone lined up for jogging when Hye-won grabbed Min-ha and stepped out of formation to come towards me.

“Professor, what’s up?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you in better shape than I expected?”

With an expression of great skepticism, Hye-won thoroughly inspected me in my training gear.

“I’m not sure how to answer that. Let me ask you something: what did you expect me to look like?”

“A scrawny weakling? You always wear dark clothes and look gloomy.”

Hye-won spoke her mind frankly, leaving Min-ha alarmed as if he had been personally attacked.

“Hye-won, where did you pick up that habit of speaking rudely about a professor…!”

“It’s fine, Student Min-ha. It doesn’t bother me. Student Hye-won always talks this way.”

My lighthearted response made Hye-won grin.

“Alright then, let’s run together. I’ll give you exactly what you’ve been putting us through—just this once.”

“Whatever you say. You were the top in Physical Training during the end-of-term evaluations, right? Then let me learn something from you.”

As we exchanged sharp words while smiling, Min-ha alone fretted anxiously, clasping his hands together.

But I really wasn’t bothered at all.

I already know what kind of person Hye-won is and know her words contain no ill will.

Just as malice can’t be hidden no matter how much you try, neither can fondness.

“Then let’s go.”

We walked side by side and took our place at the very back of the jogging formation.

* * * * *

Twenty minutes later.

Yu Hye-won experienced something she’d never felt since starting Physical Training at the Academy—a shortness of breath.

In front of her, Professor Hyun casually jogged, utterly unreachable.

Looking behind, not only could she not see Han Min-ha, there was no one in sight at all.

Professor Hyun, who had started at the very back of the line, shot forward at lightning speed from the moment they had begun. He had taken the lead by a long shot and has maintained that speed all this time.

As they passed the Lecture Hall—where one usually feels worn out after forty minutes of jogging—Yu Hye-won felt a flicker of fear.

With this kind of stamina and he retired at C-rank…? And that was ages ago!

What exactly is this guy…?!

But she couldn’t stop here. Her pride wouldn’t allow it.

Even if my heart bursts, I’ll chase him till the end!

As soon as she reached the Training Field after completing the running course, Yu Hye-won collapsed onto the ground and began throwing up bile.

“Good job, Student Hye-won.”

With a smile, Professor Hyun approached her.

Seeing Professor Hyun with barely any sweat and perfectly steady breathing, Yu Hye-won recalled the time when she’d dragged Han Min-ha along by his collar.

Back then, Min-ha had been crawling on all fours, just like Hye-won now, and she had been looking down at them both from above, just like Hyun is doing now.

“Get up. Raise your chest and take deep breaths while jogging slowly around the Training Field. It’s more effective that way.”

Following Professor Hyun’s words, Yu Hye-won reluctantly complied, feeling defeated.

“Yes…”

“I’ll go get Student Min-ha.”

With that, Professor Hyun effortlessly jogged away and disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.

Thinking that she had the upper hand in stamina was an enormous mistake.

As she watched Professor Hyun’s retreating back, Yu Hye-won wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and slowly got back up.

She started jogging slowly around the training field as Professor Hyun had instructed, taking deep breaths.