Chapter 17: Know your Subject.

The Next Morning. At Jeong Eun-seo’s House.

As soon as Jeong Eun-seo woke up in the morning, she looked in the mirror to check her appearance.

“Today is my first day at the Academy.”

Until now, Eun-seo had devoted herself solely to finding the inheritance her grandfather had left behind. To be honest, she wasn’t even sure if a legitimate inheritance existed—she was merely chasing a memory of something her grandfather had casually mentioned when she was a child. Regardless, today was a somewhat special day for her.

Swish

Eun-seo glanced at her phone.

[Are you awake?]

[Yes, I am awake.]

As always, Lee Hyun-seung responded in a stiff manner, and Eun-seo found it intriguing.

“This guy really does seem like a robot, just based on his responses.”

She wondered about Hyun-seung’s consistent, almost stone-cold demeanor towards her.

Eun-seo mumbled as she looked in the mirror, “I think my figure is pretty good, and I’m quite attractive. How could he be so indifferent to someone like me?”

It wasn’t that Eun-seo had feelings for Hyun-seung, but she couldn’t understand him. As the daughter of a high-ranking guild and blessed with striking beauty, it was common for people to approach her for her contact details even when she was simply walking around. And even while exploring dungeons in search of the inheritance, many adventurers would try to flirt with her.

Of course, she never gave any of them a second glance, but she was more than aware that her appearance was more than enough to attract men. Jeong Eun-seo was attractive on her own, even without her status as the daughter of the high-ranking Theor Guild. However, Hyun-seung had been different from the first time they met in the dungeon.

“Are you alright? I saw you lying down, so I came over. Do you need help?”

[No need to help me.]

In a situation where most men would have taken the opportunity to hit on her, Hyun-seung had simply gotten up on his own and moved away, as if she were of no interest to him.

“Could he… not be interested in women?”

Pondering this odd thought, Eun-seo finished getting ready and headed outside.

Clunk!

Eun-seo got into the waiting car outside and spoke to the driver.

“Driver, please take me to Lee Hyun-seung’s house.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Vroom

While staring blankly out the window, Eun-seo eventually heard the driver’s voice.

“We’ve arrived, miss.”

Swish

Eun-seo got out of the car and knocked on Hyun-seung’s front door.

Knock knock knock

Creak

Not long after her knock, Hyun-seung came out rubbing his eyes.

“You’re here already? Let’s go.”

“You look tired.”

“Oh… I didn’t get much sleep because I was busy prepping extra magazines.”

“Preparing magazines? Isn’t that something you can just buy?”

“Ah… there’s more to it than that. It’s a bit difficult to explain right now.”

A silence fell between them, and the two got into the car together.

Swish

Eun-seo glanced at him. Hyun-seung was looking out the window, saying nothing.

“Is there anything you’re curious about? If there’s anything you want to ask, feel free to.”

Hearing her words, Hyun-seung thought to himself, ‘I already know everything…’

Having played Broad Academy Online, he knew almost everything about Jeong Eun-seo, who was one of the main heroines. There was no need to ask questions.

“I don’t have anything I’m particularly curious about.”

When Hyun-seung responded indifferently, Eun-seo looked a bit surprised and turned her gaze outside.

“Ahem… right, well, it’s possible to not be curious about anything.”

“Oh, actually, I do have a question.”

“W-what question do you have?”

With a curious look, Eun-seo watched as Hyun-seung replied.

“Did you prepare the weapon I requested yesterday?”

“Ah….”

Eun-seo naturally handed over a handgun.

[Epic] Worn Handgun
▶ A worn handgun without any special features.
▶ Holds a total of 15 bullets.
▶ Increases Magic stat by 3.

Looking at the gun, Hyun-seung thought to himself, ‘Alright, with this, I can finally use the Gunmaster exclusive skill. The Magic stat increase may only be 3, but it’ll still be useful.’

Eun-seo observed him with a puzzled expression.

“Epic-grade basic items are notoriously inefficient, so they’re difficult to find on the market. But I did manage to locate one. Still, why did you ask for such a worn handgun when you could have gone for something more expensive? If you had just asked me, I could have gotten it for you.”

“Even if there are better weapons, I can’t equip them. My job level is still only 1.”

“What? Your job level is 1? And yet you showed that level of destructive power?”

“Yes. For now, it’s 1. Even though I’ve been using guns quite a bit, I’m not sure why it hasn’t leveled up.”

Basic weapons aside, all class-specific weapons have restrictions on their use. This is mainly because they typically require a class level of 2 or higher. Therefore, Lee Hyun-seung could not use any weapons above that level for now.

How exactly does one level up? The legendary-grade gunner didn’t even exist in the original game, so I’m at a loss here.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Lee Hyun-seung shook his head.

This isn’t the time for such thoughts.

He had spent the entire night crafting the magazines he would use, preparing for any potential situations. Soon, he would have to fight Seong Hyun-wook, but he wasn’t in great condition. He needed at least some rest.

“Excuse me, but may I take a short nap?”

“Yes, you can sleep.”

With that, Lee Hyun-seung closed his eyes and fell asleep, while Jung Eun-seo watched him, a bit dazed.

What a completely unpredictable person…

“Arrived at Broad Academy.”

After the guide announced their arrival, Lee Hyun-seung and Jung Eun-seo naturally stepped outside.

• Tap
• Tap
  Tap

Lee Hyun-seung entered the academy building through the central staircase, with Jung Eun-seo closely following him.

• Murmur
• Murmur

As he glanced around, he could hear the whispers of the academy students. Seeing this, Lee Hyun-seung thought,

Well, given what happened yesterday, it would actually be strange if no one reacted.

After showing a strong stance against Yoo Hee-yeon the previous day, he considered the possibility that many students might now view him with hostility or ignore him altogether. Although he was accompanied by the daughter of the guild master, Theor, and the wizard Nam Jin-seok, their influence was overshadowed by the powerful Atremis Guild.

• Tap
  Tap

After walking for a while, Lee Hyun-seung arrived in front of the president’s office. Jung Eun-seo was the first to be let into the F-class.

• Knock knock knock

As he knocked on the door, he heard the sound of the lock being disengaged.

• Click!
• Creak

Upon entering the president’s office, he saw Choi Yi-seul casually using magic to arrange the chairs.

“Lee Hyun-seung, right? Please come in and take a seat.”

• Swoosh

The president attempted to pour tea, but Lee Hyun-seung declined.

“No need for tea. I came here to discuss something important.”

“What is it that you want to talk about?”

Choi Yi-seul asked, her eyes filled with tension.

Lee Hyun-seung responded, “President, to be honest, I don’t think you would suspect my innocence. This incident was primarily driven by the influence of Yoo Hee-yeon, with no solid evidence against me. I have been unfairly suspended, and I wish to demand appropriate compensation for that.”

…I’ll admit that we hastily suspended you. I sincerely apologize for that. It’s a bit difficult for me to say this as a leader, but please understand that we had our own circumstances. What kind of compensation do you want? If possible, I will accommodate your request.

“Please transfer me to F-class.”

“F-class? Isn’t that more of a disadvantage than a benefit?”

The president looked at him with a puzzled expression, prompting him to clarify.

“In the upcoming class annihilation battle, I will crush everyone else. For that, being in F-class, which has the option of combat selection, would be advantageous.”

The class annihilation battle was crucial for scoring in the practical exams. Classes A, B, C, D, and F would gather for a large-scale mock battle.

The combat method was simple. Classes would clash in pairs, like A versus C or C versus D, with the pairings randomized. However, F-class, being the weakest chain, had a privilege—they could choose which class to fight.

Given that F-class was typically at a disadvantage, they were granted this benefit. They could select to fight the strongest A-class or a slightly stronger D-class, depending on their choice. Naturally, if he joined F-class, he would become the ‘representative’ and choose A-class as his opponent on the day of the annihilation battle.

In that case, A and F-class would clash at the same time. On that day, he would defeat all the A-class students. Under the guise of a practical exam, he would crush them one by one.

Of course, it also helped that Jung Eun-seo, who had been demoted from A-class to F-class due to insufficient attendance, was a solid ally in the same class.

The president responded, “Understood. If that’s what you want… we can arrange that. You may attend classes in F-class starting today.”

“Thank you.”

With that, Lee Hyun-seung exited the office.

• Tap
• Tap
• Tap

It should be around here somewhere.

He made his way to a secluded area behind the academy building, where fewer people wandered about.

“Where are you going, you criminal scum?”

From a distance, he heard Seong Hyun-wook’s voice.

There he is.

All specialized weapons, except for basic ones, have restrictions on their use. This is generally because they require a job level of at least 2, so Lee Hyun-seung could not use any higher-level weapons for now.

“How do I even raise my job level? The legendary-grade gunner didn’t even exist in the original game, so I can’t figure it out.”

While pondering this, Lee Hyun-seung shook his head.

“Now’s not the time for such thoughts.”

He had stayed up all night making the ammunition he would use, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances. Soon, he would have to fight Seong Hyun-wook, but his condition wasn’t great. He needed at least a little rest.

“Excuse me, but can I take a short nap?”

“Yes, you can sleep.”

Finally, Lee Hyun-seung closed his eyes and fell asleep, while Jeong Eun-seo stared blankly at him.

Inside, she thought, “I can’t make heads or tails of this person…”

“Welcome to your destination.”

After the announcement that they had arrived at Broad Academy, Lee Hyun-seung and Jeong Eun-seo naturally stepped outside.

• Squelch
• Squelch

Lee Hyun-seung smoothly entered the academy building through the central staircase, with Jeong Eun-seo closely following him.

• Murmur
• Murmur

Looking around, Lee Hyun-seung could hear the whispers of the academy students. He thought to himself, “Well, after what happened yesterday, it would actually be strange if they acted like nothing was wrong.”

Since he had shown a strong demeanor in his confrontation with Yoo Hee-yeon yesterday, he figured that many students might view him with hostility or disregard. Although he was next to the daughter of the Theor Guild Master and the magician Nam Jin-seok, their influence was overshadowed by the Atremis Guild.

• Squelch
• Squelch

After walking for a while, Lee Hyun-seung arrived in front of the president’s office. Jeong Eun-seo was the first to enter the F-class.

• Knock, knock, knock

When he knocked on the door, he heard the sound of the locking mechanism disengaging.

• Click~!
• Clatter

Upon entering the president’s office, Choi Yi-seul casually used magic to arrange the chairs.

“Ah, Lee Hyun-seung, please come in and take a seat.”

• Swoosh

The president was about to serve tea, but Lee Hyun-seung declined.

“I don’t need tea. I came here to discuss something with you.”

“What would you like to talk about?”

Choi Yi-seul spoke with a tense look in her eyes.

Lee Hyun-seung replied, “President, honestly, I don’t think you’d doubt my innocence. This incident happened mostly because of the influence of Yoo Hee-yeon, without any proper evidence. I’ve been unjustly suspended. Therefore, I want to demand fair compensation for it.”

‘I’ll acknowledge that the suspension was hasty. I sincerely apologize. As a leader, it’s hard for me to say this, but please understand that we also had our own circumstances. What kind of compensation do you desire? If possible, I’ll accommodate your request.’

“Please transfer me to F-class.”

“F-class? Isn’t that more of a disadvantage than a benefit?”

The president looked at him with a puzzled expression, and he said one more thing.

“I’ll be smashing all the other guys in the upcoming class annihilation battle. So, having the option to choose my opponents in F-class would be advantageous.”

The class annihilation battle, which would weigh heavily on the scores of the remaining practical exams, would be a large-scale mock battle where all classes—A, B, C, D, and F—gathered to duel.

The battle method is simple. Classes clash against each other, like A against C or C against D. The matchups are random. However, F-class has a special privilege: they get to decide who they fight. Given that it’s class-based combat, F-class is at a disadvantage. Thus, they receive benefits. They can choose to fight the strongest A-class or slightly stronger D-class, which provides them the combat choice.

Of course, if I join F-class, I will become the ‘representative’ and, on the day of the annihilation battle, will target the A-class. This way, A-class and F-class will clash simultaneously. On that day, I will crush all the A-class kids. Under the guise of a practical exam, I will trample them one by one.

Of course, it’s worth noting that Jeong Eun-seo, who was demoted from A-class to F-class due to insufficient attendance, would be a reliable ally in the same class.

The president replied, “Understood. If that’s what you want… then I’ll grant it. From today, you will attend classes in F-class.”

“Thank you.”

With that said, Lee Hyun-seung exited.

• Squelch
• Squelch
• Squelch

‘I feel like it was around here somewhere.’

Lee Hyun-seung arrived at a secluded spot behind the academy building where not many people wandered.

“Where are you going, you criminal bastard?”

From afar, he heard Seong Hyun-wook’s voice.

‘There he is.’

Seong Hyun-wook was with several others.

“You definitely said to come alone, right?”

“Ah… these guys? Don’t worry; they’re just here to watch. There should be some people here to witness you getting smashed, right?”

When he glanced beside Seong Hyun-wook, there stood a girl with purple hair.

‘Han Bo-eun.’

She was one of the members belonging to F-class. Although she didn’t play a significant role in the original game, she was memorable due to her pretty face and rare job.

Seong Hyun-wook said to Han Bo-eun, “Bo-eun, watch closely as I show you how strong I am. This trashy bastard will go down in one hit.”

Seong Hyun-wook seemed to act towards Han Bo-eun with more affection than he did with Yoo Hee-yeon, suggesting that he liked her rather than just wanting to expand his connections. It seemed he brought her along to show off his strength by trampling the gunner.

‘What a stupid guy. He doesn’t even know what’s going to happen next.’

From a distance, Han Bo-eun watched with indifferent eyes.

“I don’t really like fights, though.”

Seong Hyun-wook replied with bravado, “Just watch a little, okay? I’ll show you how strong I am. Aren’t you curious about how an epic-grade swordsman fights?”

Han Bo-eun sighed briefly, then came closer to whisper to me.

“Run away right now. You seem to be a gunner, but gunner can’t win against a swordsman. You’re going to get hurt badly. I’ll talk to my brother, and when I give you the signal, you should run away.”

• Snicker

I couldn’t help but laugh at what the girl said. I then responded, “The one who should run away isn’t me, but Seong Hyun-wook.”

With that, I pushed Han Bo-eun, who was blocking my way, aside.

Click!

After loading my gun, I aimed it at the furious Seong Hyun-wook and shouted, “Know your place, you trashy bastard. If you beg like a dog right now, I might let you off the hook. What’s it going to be?”

Seong Hyun-wook drew his sword and assumed a posture as if he would cut me down at any moment, yelling, “Y-You crazy bastard! Are you out of your mind?!”

From afar, Han Bo-eun looked at me with worry in her eyes.

“D-Don’t provoke him like that!”

I ignored her and raised my middle finger at Seong Hyun-wook. “No need to drag this out. Come at me. Just like you said, I’m going to turn you into a half-wit.”