Chapter 33: The Isolated Disciples [Horror]

While resting at home, a call came in.

‘It’s my old phone from when I used to work as an academy instructor.’

— Bzzz—

I tried to ignore it, but the persistent buzzing made me check the number.

‘What is this? It’s a number I’ve never seen before. There’s no way I’d have an unknown number.’

Feeling something was off, I decided to answer the call.

“Hello?”

But there was no response.

‘What the hell? Why call and say nothing?’

“Excuse me? Who is this?”

Still, there was no reply.

‘As if my mood wasn’t already bad enough, now I have someone prank calling me?’

I felt my anger flare up but kept my composure as I spoke again.

“If you don’t answer, I’m going to hang up.”

I said firmly, and finally, I heard a girl’s voice.

“I… Instructor… I have something I want to say…”

The moment I heard the voice, I knew who it was. Of course, I knew. It was the girl who pushed me into the abyss.

The one who destroyed my career, forcing me to wear a mask and wander around. It was Baek Hyunseo.

But even though I recognized her voice, I couldn’t believe it. How dare she call me? If she had even an ounce of guilt, she would avoid me for the rest of her life.

She should know better than to cross my path.

The moment I heard Baek Hyunseo’s voice, I felt my blood boil.

I felt like I was about to vomit everything I had eaten, as if every vein in my body was about to burst.

I responded in a cold, detached voice.

“Is that… Baek Hyunseo?”

Baek Hyunseo replied.

“Yes, it’s me… I have something I really need to say…”

“Hold on, I have nothing to say to you. As you know, my life is ruined because of you. Do you even know how I’ve been living lately? Every single day is a f*cking hell.”

Baek Jooseok, Baal Guild Leader, Shin Yoora of the Magic Tower, and all the guilds that Baek Jooseok paid off…

I’ve been struggling against them, and every day has been exhausting. Recently, I even massacred an entire guild. If Baek Hyunseo hadn’t driven me out, I would still be an admired instructor at the academy.

I wouldn’t have to wear a mask, hiding my face, wasting my time recruiting disciples, dealing with random jerks picking fights, or killing, hating, and raging like this.

I could hang up right now, but the anger boiling inside pushed me to continue.

“I don’t know what you were thinking when you did what you did. But if you did it to ruin me, you succeeded. Congratulations, you must be happy now, right? But don’t be too pleased. I’ll drag you down to the bottom just like you did to me.”

“Instructor… I understand if you hate me. I also agree that everything happened because of me. I won’t make excuses. I did something terrible to you, but…”

— Beep.

‘What bullsh*t excuse is she going to give now?’

I quickly hung up.

Back at the academy where Baek Hyunseo was.

Baek Hyunseo spoke with desperation in her voice.

“Instructor… I understand if you hate me. I also agree that everything happened because of me. I won’t make excuses. I did something terrible to you, but…”

— Beep.

“I’m truly sorry… Since that day, everything has been so difficult… And I miss you so much… I just liked you, instructor…”

While staring at the disconnected call, Baek Hyunseo couldn’t finish her sentence.

“I… I didn’t realize things would get this bad. What can I do to make you forgive me…”

Her last words never reached Choi Juwon.

“Sniff…”

Baek Hyunseo watched the disconnected call and started shedding tears.

As she cried, Yoon Seulgi, who had been standing at a distance, approached her and asked.

“Hyunseo… Judging by your expression, it seems like the conversation didn’t go well, did it?”

“Sniff…”

Baek Hyunseo couldn’t even think of a response. She just cried, tears streaming down her face.

Yoon Seulgi placed a hand on her trembling shoulder and stayed quietly by her side.

“Hyunseo. Do you think we’ll ever be able to earn Instructor Choi Juwon’s forgiveness? If we sincerely apologize, do you think we could go back to the way things were before?”

Baek Hyunseo shook her head and spoke softly.

“I don’t think so. It seems like the instructor has already decided never to see us again.”

Yoon Seulgi stared sadly into the distance as she replied.

“In a way, it’s understandable… He treated us so well, but it’s as if all his students betrayed him overnight. Even after he resigned from Helmunt Academy, there were all sorts of bad rumors going around other academies… He must have gone through a really tough time during all that. Instructor Choi Juwon… Even now, it seems like he’s not doing anything, just staying at home. I can’t imagine how much pain and frustration he must feel being alone all this time…”

With that, Baek Hyunseo and Yoon Seulgi remained in place for a long while.

The next morning, Yang Hangil gathered all his students in his lecture hall and shouted.

“Listen up, everyone. After a day of deep thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that a more extreme approach is necessary for your growth.”

“Do you know when people show their greatest strength? It’s when their own lives, or the lives of their comrades, are at risk. When pushed to the limit, people can tap into superhuman strength they never knew they had. There are countless examples proving this.”

“And when are people pushed to their limits the most? I think you all know the answer.”

The students glanced at Yang Hangil with fearful eyes. He smirked as he continued.

“It seems you know well enough. Yes, you guessed right. Starting today, you will be sent into a dungeon.”

A startled Baek Hyunseo spoke up.

“Instructor… Are you going in with us?”

Yang Hangil replied with a look of annoyance.

“Me? Why would I enter a dungeon meant for primitive hunters? You’ll be exploring the dungeon on your own. I’ll be waiting outside.”

Normally, members of the [Beginner] Combat Magic class would never enter a dungeon alone.

They would always be accompanied by their parents or an experienced individual.

This is only natural. The [Beginner] class consists entirely of mages, and it’s difficult to say they have enough combat ability individually.

Dungeons inside gates are unpredictable, filled with monsters. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone died when mages entered alone.

In the past, Choi Juwon also often sent his students into dungeons, but he would always be at the frontlines, protecting them and essentially guiding them through every danger.

“I… It sounds way too dangerous…”

As Baek Hyunseo trembled and spoke, Yang Hangil simply looked at her. Then he finally opened his mouth.

“Of course it’s dangerous. It has to be. Otherwise, how will you awaken? If your stats keep stagnating or, worse, declining day by day like useless trash, we have no choice but to resort to such drastic measures. I need to make you grow, even if it means taking risks. I don’t care if it’s dangerous because if things stay like this, I’m screwed.”

When the students stared at him, confused by his nonsensical rant, he shouted.

“You have no choice anyway. You’ve entered dungeons before, right? Just think of it as doing it without a guardian this time. You’ll be fine. I’m only putting you in a C-rank gate.”

A C-rank dungeon can be cleared by dozens of students from Helmunt Academy’s [Beginner] Combat Magic class.

Of course, just because it’s possible to clear doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. However, Yang Hangil didn’t care.

He believed that if the students continued to fall behind, there would be no hope left for him.

“Hmph… I won’t take any more questions. If anyone says anything unnecessary or opposes me, that person will be the first to get punished. Just shut up and follow me.”

-Thud thud

As Yang Hangil walked, several students followed behind him.

After walking for a while, they finally arrived at a gate.

“[Beginner] class, you guys go in first. I’ve called for those in the [Intermediate] and [Advanced] classes too, so they’ll join later.”

As the students hesitated, Yang Han-gil shouted.

“Get in right now, you f*cking bastards!”

• Thud, thud, thud
• Whoosh

At his command, dozens of students rushed into the dungeon.

“Aahhh!”

Baek Hyunseo screamed as she entered the dungeon. Many other students were trembling with fear.

All around them was a dense forest. This kind of terrain is filled with traps and requires caution.

‘It’s… it’s so scary…’

Until now, the only times Baek Hyunseo had entered a dungeon was with her father or with Choi Juwon.

Because of that, she began to feel extreme fear.

But before she could even adjust, monsters started swarming in.

“Graaahhh!”

In front of the panicked students, several goblins shrieked, laughing maniacally.

“G-get away!”

“E-everyone, pull yourselves together! If more of them come, we’ll be surrounded in no time!”

“I’m scared… save me…”

At that moment, the students’ reactions were sharply divided.

“Graaahhh!”

A goblin charged at the frozen Baek Hyunseo.