Chapter 48: Baek Hyun-seo crying and begging

Park Hyeyeon checked her condition only after Dertod was fully dead.

‘I… I’m alive…’

She looked over her body. Although it was torn, crushed, and bleeding in many places, she could move.

There was no restriction; her body was completely functional.

She couldn’t believe it. A powerful monster that appeared in the Black Gate—a creature that had toyed with dozens of mages—had been slain by a single person.

In front of her stood Choi Juwon, blankly staring up at the sky.

Park Hyeyeon spoke to him, “Masked Instructor, thank you for saving me… You don’t have to worry too much about my students. They’re all alive. Though, it seems most of the other academy students who came in with us… are gone.”

“I know,” Choi Juwon replied quietly.

She continued, “I really… I’m so grateful you saved me… Honestly… I thought I was going to die. I didn’t see any way to survive.”

When Dertod had swung that blood-red sword toward her, she had already pictured her death—eyes pierced, body ripped apart.

At that moment, she had felt an overwhelming desire to live, a refusal to die when she hadn’t yet avenged her father.

Her resolve not to depend on anyone had crumbled, and she had silently pleaded, hoping anyone would save her.

Although she knew it was unlikely in the Black Gate, the desperation to live had her hoping against reason.

Yet somehow, her wish became reality. The Masked Instructor—the person she called ‘Instructor’—had come to her rescue.

“Masked Instructor… How did you even get in here?” she asked, curiosity sparking.

Choi Juwon answered , “Absorption and release—the method I taught you. It works with demonic energy as well as external mana. I absorbed all the demonic energy from the Black Gate and entered this place.”

“That… that’s even possible?”

Hyeyeon looked at him in disbelief. The demonic energy within the Black Gate was far beyond human tolerance.

Just as she was about to insist it was impossible, her eyes landed on Dertod’s corpse.

“There’s no point questioning it. Killing this monster alone already proves you’re not an ordinary person.”

Hyeyeon stared at him and asked, “Who are you? How do you possess such strength? I knew you weren’t ordinary… but I never expected you’d be this powerful.”

Choi Juwon didn’t answer her question. Instead, he said something unexpected.

“Don’t ask. I can’t tell you. And stop speaking formally. I’m more comfortable with informal speech.”

Hyeyeon flinched, realizing she had been using formal speech with him.

She only used that level of respect with those she trusted, and since her father’s death and her mother’s abandonment, she had never spoken to anyone that way.

But today, for the first time, someone had earned her respect—Choi Juwon. He had become someone she could rely on, someone who had risked his life for hers, something she’d never witnessed before.

Hyeyeon spoke, “But why… why did you save us? The Black Gate is dangerous. I know you’re strong, but the danger level of the Black Gate isn’t determined with much care. There could have been a far stronger monster here. If that happened, you would have died too. Why would you risk your life to save others? To be honest… I don’t think any of us are worth such a sacrifice. We have nothing to offer and nothing to repay you with. Why did you save us?”

Hyeyeon couldn’t understand. In her life, there had never been someone who saved others without expecting something in return.

In the slums where she once roamed, help was always given with strings attached.

Yet the Masked Instructor had saved her and now stood quietly, looking up at the sky without expecting anything in return.

To her question, Choi Juwon replied, “Why did I save you? I don’t know.”

Was it because he needed them for his revenge against the Tower? Or because he couldn’t bear to abandon those he had trained?

Or was it a sense of responsibility toward them as his students? He couldn’t be sure. In the end, he realized that his body had simply moved on its own.

Especially with Park Hyeyeon, he saw a resemblance to himself, and he didn’t want her life to end in such emptiness. That was all.

From a distance, Baek Hyeonseo watched Choi Juwon.

The instructor she had once liked—the one who would always grumble but care for them deeply—was standing there before her.

‘So… the Masked Instructor was Instructor Choi Juwon…?’

She had thought several times during his time at Helmunt Academy that there was something unusual about him, but she had never imagined he could possess such unbelievable strength and abilities.

Though Choi Juwon was an S-Class instructor at Helmunt Academy, he often said that his combat strength was more of an A-Class level.

Moreover, he had never used something called external mana during his time as an instructor.

Baek Hyunseo fell into deep contemplation. Here was the instructor she had wanted to see and apologize to for so long, standing right in front of her. This person, whose life had been ruined, ostracized, and criticized by everyone because of her, was now right before her eyes.

The once S-Class instructor at the academy had now become a creator known as Masked Instructor. He was famous, likely making a lot of money, but was he happy? When she thought about it, the answer seemed to be no.

‘It must… be really hard…’

Since the beginning, Masked Instructor had faced numerous controversies.

When he revealed his use of external mana, when he entered an A-Class dungeon, and even after a duel with President Baek Jooseok, some people admired him, while many others openly criticized him.

People questioned the stability of his methods, claiming that shortcuts couldn’t be considered true magic.

They doubted him just because he hid his face, assuming he had something to hide. All kinds of unfounded accusations were thrown his way. The reason was simple—he knew more and excelled more than they did.

If the day came when Masked Instructor decided to start lecturing online or even establish an academy of his own, it would disrupt the entire academy industry nationwide. Many people criticized him publicly to protect their own interests.

Being the daughter of the president, Baek Hyunseo had heard plenty through the grapevine. She knew enough of these circumstances. After all, the academy instructors she had observed weren’t exactly paragons of virtue.

‘When he was at Helmunt Academy… he seemed happy…’

Although Choi Juwon often appeared expressionless as an instructor, one could sense from his tone and actions how satisfied he was with his job and how much pride he took in it. He didn’t seem to be chasing fame or fortune; he genuinely seemed to enjoy teaching his students and building relationships with them.

It was as if he was a freshman, thrilled to make new friends at college. Choi Juwon seemed happiest when forming connections with others.

And Baek Hyunseo’s impression wasn’t far from the truth. Ever since he arrived in this world, Choi Juwon had barely had anyone he could call a friend. He usually acted on his own and hardly developed close bonds with anyone. It wasn’t until he became an instructor at Helmunt Academy that he genuinely felt attachment to people. But that only ended in betrayal and exile.

Furthermore, Baek Hyunseo was fully aware that the cause of all this lay in her use of the Helmunt Academy intranet. She knew the magnitude of her wrongdoing.

Tap.

Unconsciously, Baek Hyunseo began to walk, taking a step closer to Choi Juwon.

Tap.

Each step brought a squelching sound as her foot touched the blood-stained floor—likely the blood of fellow students who had fallen to Dertod.

Sadness. Regret. A surge of emotions flooded her. Seeing the bodies of fallen students here and there even made her feel nauseous. However, before mourning their loss, she had something else she had to do. So, she steeled herself, doing her best not to look around, and approached Choi Juwon.

“Mr. Choi Juwon… Thank you for saving me.”

“And… there’s something… I really need to say…”

Choi Juwon, without a word, continued gazing blankly at the sky. Park Hyeyeon, standing nearby, glared at Baek Hyunseo.

“Choi Juwon? Is that the instructor’s name? How… how do you know it?”

For some reason, Park Hyeyeon seemed suspicious of Baek Hyunseo and questioned her. But Baek Hyunseo simply continued, looking directly at Choi Juwon.

“Instructor, I want to clear things up… I can explain everything about how it all went so wrong.”

As Baek Hyunseo had walked here, she’d imagined his reactions a thousand times over. Would he curse her? Shout at her? Or would he simply look at her with contempt? No matter his reaction, she was ready to accept it; she knew she deserved it.

However, Choi Juwon’s response was unlike anything she’d imagined.

He ignored her words, not even listening, and simply looked away.

“Instructor… just once… just look at me. Please…”

Baek Hyunseo pleaded tearfully, but Choi Juwon only turned to Park Hyeyeon.

“Let’s go check on the students who are still alive.”

As she broke down, Baek Hyunseo called out desperately.

“Instructor, that day… it was all a misunderstanding. I did wrong; that much is true. But I never meant for it to go that far… I just… I just admired you. If you want, I’ll do anything to make up for it. Whatever it takes to be forgiven, I’ll do it. If you ask me to turn myself in, I’ll go right now. So, please…”

But by then, Choi Juwon was already far out of reach.