Chapter 42

A foreboding feeling is never wrong.

Upon hearing the definitive news of her parents’ death, Han Min-ha uttered a brief exclamation, “Ah,” and then remained silent.

I didn’t know what to say.

So, without waiting for her next words, I continued in a calm voice.

“As I said before… Min-ha’s parents were on the same team as me. A few years ago, we were assigned a mission and relocated to a certain area to carry it out. We were ambushed there, and Min-ha’s parents perished on the spot. And… their death was because I couldn’t form a defensive barrier in time.”

I explained the scene from that day at the Organization headquarters to Han Min-ha without holding anything back.

Han Min-ha, her face somewhat pale, slowly nodded and listened to my story.

“So, that’s how it happened. The shock from that time caused me to lose all my memories… or rather, I blocked them out.”

“Because of the mental barrier…”

“Yes. It wasn’t until I returned from the Organization this time that I learned all the details. And… I’m sorry about your parents.”

I bowed my head slightly to apologize.

“It’s all because I couldn’t properly support your parents. If I had erected a proper defensive barrier, they wouldn’t have died.”

“No… it’s not Professor’s fault…”

Han Min-ha quietly spoke.

“You did everything you could… thank you…”

Han Min-ha bowed her head to me.

“Thank you, Min-ha student. Thank you for understanding.”

“And Professor… please don’t worry too much about Mom and Dad’s last request…”

The oath that Han Min-ha’s parents made me swear to—”turn Han Min-ha into an S-class hero.”

“That’s impossible, so… just the fact that the Professor accepted me as a guidance student is enough. Because of you, I was able to continue school without dropping out, and I was able to make friends like Hye-won…”

Han Min-ha quietly spoke with a dry voice.

“You’ve done your best and continue to do so… it’s fine…”

Was it because of the mental barrier?

Even though I felt sad and guilty, with tears threatening to fall, strangely, I didn’t feel much of anything.

Which was frustrating.

The defensive barrier went beyond protecting the psyche and turned me into a person devoid of emotion—annoyingly so.

If I could just get rid of this ridiculous passive barrier, maybe I’d feel better.

I just wanted to cry my heart out.

I wanted to share my sadness with Han Min-ha about losing my only friends, Han Tae-woo and Seo Ji-a, who had stood by me as the sole orphans.

But I couldn’t, and that was frustrating.

Instead, I reached out and lightly patted Han Min-ha’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, but my resolve to turn Min-ha student into an S-class hero remains unchanged. And it’s not impossible either.”

“Yes…”

“Your parents were powerful heroes, and Min-ha student, who shares their blood, also possesses a solid aura. It’s entirely possible. So please don’t worry…”

Ugh.

What was I saying to a high schooler who’d just been told their parents had died?

Han Min-ha was staring blankly, her gaze fixed on her knees.

Perhaps the reason she wasn’t crying now was because she’d already cried enough alone over the years.

On the contrary, I wanted to cry, but…

Damn this mental barrier!

“How can I use aura…?”

Han Min-ha looked up and asked.

The moment our eyes met, I saw something in hers.

Whatever it was, it was clear that Han Min-ha’s eyes today were different from yesterday’s.

Whether it was because she had come to fully accept her parents’ death, or because her trust in me was unwavering, I didn’t know. But I answered her.

“To use aura…”

There is one method that, though crude, is the fastest.

* * *

“Ah, really… I need to go change my phone.”

Yu Hye-won grumbled as she followed behind me.

“Let’s make some time. It’s for a classmate.”

I urged her, and she glanced at Han Min-ha before looking at me again.

“In return, you’ll buy me something delicious today.”

“You ate tteok-bokki yesterday.”

“Is today’s sunrise the same as yesterday’s?”

“They’re certainly the same. There’s only one sun in the solar system.”

Yu Hye-wan made some strange analogy and then opened her mouth, evidently puzzled.

We were currently heading to the academy’s large anti-monster combat training ground.

It’s usually not open on weekends, but under the pretext of supplementary tutoring for underperforming students under professor supervision, it is usable.

I intended to awaken Han Min-ha’s aura in the training ground.

By forcing her into a confrontation with a monster that couldn’t be handled without using aura.

If you push someone standing on the edge of a cliff, they’ll fall and die.

But heroes soar.

Yesterday’s Han Min-ha, standing against the villain, didn’t awaken her aura.

Today’s Han Min-ha will be different.

Yesterday’s sun and today’s are the same, but Han Min-ha is different.

After seeing her ask at the health center how to use aura after hearing the news of her parents’ death, I was certain.

That’s why we’re going to the training ground.

A crude but quickest method.

Though there are other methods like meditation, we’re past the half-point in the semester, so they’re not timely.

You need to ascend quickly before the final exam to get into the advanced class in the next semester.

In the first year, all students master common aspects, and starting this year, they begin the deepening process of developing their unique traits.

How well those traits are honed determines the hero’s identity and signature skill, which directly affects their popularity with the public.

Heroes who gain public favor can easily be promoted, and thus Han Min-ha becoming S-class isn’t just a dream anymore.

“Min-ha. Do you feel like you need to master it today?”

On regular days, she’d probably be called “Bak-tong” or “Jeot-tong,” but after hinting to Yu Hye-won that Han Min-ha had learned about her parents’ death, she seemed to be careful with her words.

It almost made her seem like an ordinary high school girl at such moments.

“I got it. I’ll definitely do it.”

Han Min-ha nodded resolutely.

“Hello. I’d like to use the training ground. It’s a supplementary lesson for underperforming students in basic defense.”

As we greeted while entering the management office, a staff member taking weekend duty handed over an application form.

Supervising professor, target students, usage time.

And the most important part, the type of monster.

After filling out the form, we handed our cell phones to the management office.

It’s to prevent them from breaking during vigorous movement, though Yu Hye-won’s phone was already broken yesterday during the battle with the villain.

“Wow, it’s enormous.”

As the kids hadn’t learned large monster combat yet, the training ground was new to everyone.

The training ground, called as such, boasts a size comparable to a metropolitan zoo.

These facilities make the academy’s grounds so expansive that describing them as “vast” feels fitting.

The large monster combat training ground is divided into an outdoor lecture area, a practical training area, and a breeding ground.

The breeding ground is located furthest inside, surrounded by a triple-layered, high-voltage alloy fence.

The three of us entered the circular practical training area and stood facing the thick iron door across from us.

Once this door opens, a monster will enter through the passageway connecting it to the breeding ground into this practical training area.

Tightening her lips, Han Min-ha seemed to be nervous.

Though it was her idea to start immediately, it appears fear is inevitable once inside the training ground.

“There’s no need to be nervous. I’ll just take some safety measures first, then we can start.”

“Ye… Yes…”

“Hye-won student, help me a bit. I can do it alone, but it’s also good for Hye-won student to experience it in advance.”

“Let’s hurry; it’s getting hot.”

True to what Yu Hye-won said, the weather was growing warmer.

We felt it even more since there was no shadow in this practical training area.

“Alright. Let’s hurry up and eat afterwards.”

As I raised my hand as a signal, the iron door began to slowly open.

“Huhk…!”

Seeing what came out of the iron door, Han Min-ha gasped.

Yu Hye-won also looked surprised at the sight.

The monster I selected was a Death Hunger.

It resembles a scorpion made by fusing together various mechanical parts.

Such monsters weren’t naturally present from the start; these are cases where villain traits manifest in animals.

Though not common, they’re not so rare either, and some villains domesticate these creatures and use them as battle weapons.

The Death Hunger moved its pincers, emitting peculiar mechanical sounds while wriggling its eight massive legs.

Compared to that mindless villain from yesterday, it was huge. Every slight twist of its body raised clouds of dust.

“Th… That… that thing… I…”

Han Min-ha stammered and finally gave up completing her sentence, glaring fearfully at me.

“You can do it, Min-ha student. This is the most effective method. There’s no other way to achieve results before the final exam.”

“Hah… Hah… That thing…”

“Just watch out for the stinger on its tail.”

“If I’m stepped on… I might die…”

Meanwhile, the Death Hunger was staring at us with eyes like bowling balls.

“Stay here. I’ll be back after doing some safety checks. Hye-won, come with me.”

“Yes.”

Yu Hye-won, also tense upon first encountering a monster, closely followed behind me.

I planned to slow down its movement by embedding irregular shards of a defensive barrier into its joint parts, as it would likely cause Han Min-ha to flee all day if I didn’t.

“Watch carefully. It will help a lot during the large monster combat lecture.”

I surrounded the Death Hunger’s tail and area with a defensive barrier to immobilize it and slowly approached its front.

The Death Hunger’s jaw-like components moved violently, openly showing its anger, and Yu Hye-won unknowingly gripped my arm tightly at the sound.

“That hurts a little…”

“Sorry.”

Her grip is quite strong.

Well, now I just need to plant the irregular shards of the defensive barrier into its joints.

Before starting, I checked once again the defensive barrier covering the tail area.

It’s fine. Let’s begin.

“Uh… Professor, is that…?!”

Yu Hye-won pointed towards the monster’s mouth in panic.

Seeing its mouth, I immediately pushed her away without a second thought.

At the same time, a sharp circular saw-like blade shot out of the Death Hunger’s mouth.

Damn it! Was it a morphic manifestation type?

The monstrous saw blade pierced through my chest, and the recoil caused all the barriers on the creature to fall off.

“Professor!”

As Yu Hye-won rushed to me, the Death Hunger’s tail stinger came down on her shoulder.

Yu Hye-won collapsed weakly after being struck by the stinger.