Chapter 1: betrayal

I had been possessed by the character in a modern academy game that I often played. Half-forced into this world, I ended up living as an academy instructor.

Thanks to that, I received good evaluations from my students and even earned the title of “S-Rank Instructor.” But now, that is nothing but a distant memory.

Countless students crowd into my office, swarming around me with accusations.

“It’s disgusting… Have you been spying on us this whole time?”

“How filthy. You must’ve enjoyed snooping through other people’s photos.”

“Don’t tell me… Have you been secretly reading all our conversations? Is that for real?”

Just yesterday, these students were attentively listening to my lectures. Now, they look at me as if I’m some kind of vermin.

It’s unfair. I swear I’ve never touched the students’ personal information.

This is a false accusation. Someone who holds a grudge against me must have set me up to cause trouble.

“Guys, I swear I’ve never done anything like that. Why would I take your personal information? I have no interest in other people’s photos, conversations, or even phone calls. You know me, right? You know that’s not my character.”

But my voice didn’t reach them. The students’ protests only grew louder.

At that moment, two model students who had always paid close attention to my lectures approached me.

“Guys… you know. I’m not the kind of person who would do something like this. I’m really innocent. Please explain to the others.”

Kim Siyeon and Yoon Seulgi shouted at me with trembling voices.

“I… I thought you were a really good teacher… How could you do this to us?”

“You must have seen all of our secret conversations with friends, our serious family issues, even all those pictures in our galleries… It’s the worst.”

“It’s disgusting. An instructor who spies on the phone contents of the students they teach? It’s pathetic that I ever looked up to you, even for a moment.”

I looked at the students with blank eyes and shouted.

“N-no… It wasn’t me… I swear I didn’t do it… This is a false accusation… I’m innocent…”

One of my cherished disciples, Lee Haru, also approached me, his eyes filled with anger as he spoke.

“Any criminal, when cornered, will claim they’re being falsely accused. How many people admit they did wrong? At least don’t show such a disgraceful side to yourself. That’s the least you could do for those who’ve listened to your lectures until now. Just confess, apologize honestly, and step down from your position as an academy instructor.”

After that, more and more people criticized me.

Ever since I got trapped in this game called Hellmunt Academy Online, without knowing why, I’ve been living by completing countless quests, collecting items, and pushing myself through various challenges.

Finally, I was on the verge of completing the last quest that would allow me to return to Earth. But I couldn’t finish it alone, so I had been raising disciples.

At first, I only took on the instructor role to find talented individuals who could help me clear the quest. But as I watched the students who followed me, I genuinely became satisfied with the role of an instructor and passionately taught them. I even invested all the hidden items, skills, and knowledge I gathered from completing numerous quests, giving them my all.

‘These damn bastards…’

Despite having devoted everything to raising these disciples, all I received in return was disgust and distrust. No one even considered listening to my claims of innocence.

‘Fine, damn it. It was my fault for expecting anything from this academy full of high-ranking guild members’ children in the first place.’

Even though I was genuinely angry and wronged, the situation had already escalated. All the students, faculty, and even the principal believed I was just some pervert who peeked at other students’ private information.

‘To hell with this academy. I’m quitting first.’

Rattle

Thud

In the instructor’s office, amidst the flurry of accusations, I pulled out the resignation letter I had stashed away in the drawer.

‘I never thought I’d end up handing in my resignation like this.’

After writing out the letter, I handed it to the principal, who had been watching everything, and spoke.

“I really didn’t do it. But I don’t think I can keep working as an instructor here anymore. Investigate or do whatever you need to later. If I’m found guilty, punish me then. I have nothing to hide. But for now, I’m resigning from this place.”

“You… really… until the end…”

Bang

I slammed the office door shut and walked out of the academy. Even as I left, I could hear voices calling me all sorts of names— “Trash,” “Pervert,”— but I ignored them.

Finally, I reached the front gate.

I looked back at the students one last time. Their faces were filled with disgust, as if they were staring at garbage.

“Get out of here right now, you piece of trash!”

“You disgusting bastard. Don’t ever come back!”

My disciples cursed at me, shouting with fury.

‘You bastards, do you really think I was called an S-Rank Instructor for nothing?’

I checked the message flashing before my eyes.

[SSS] The Path of a King
◎ You can designate your successor and link them to you.
◎ Linked successors will experience explosive growth in their stats and abilities.
◎ The increase in stats and growth speed is proportional to the skill holder’s ability.
◎ Number of linked successors: 521.

Release all skill links.

[Are you sure you want to release all links?]

Release them.

[The Path of a King] The number of linked successors has been updated. The current number of linked successors is 0.
‘It’s going to get tough from now on. The reason you all became absurdly strong so quickly was because of this skill.’

‘You may think I abandoned you, but it’s actually the other way around. I’m the one who abandoned you.’

‘Let’s never see each other again. You damn bastards.’