Chapter 50: Self-Proclaimed expert true education

“Th-There’s a tip-off video… showing Masked Instructor entering the Black Gate… just sent to our station’s email,”

the interviewer stammered, causing a tense silence to fall over the room. Professor Shim Ji-hyeok grimaced, as if he’d just heard something he shouldn’t have, and asked a question.

“What did you just say?”

The interviewer enunciated carefully as he repeated, “It appears that the Masked Instructor has truly entered the Black Gate.

The proof video has just arrived, and the higher-ups are currently assessing whether it’s viable to broadcast.”

“Ha,” Professor Shim scoffed, as if he had anticipated as much.

“I won’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes. There’s no way something like that is possible. It’s theoretically impossible. Can an egg break a rock? It’s the same concept.”

His stance was resolute.

Then, a transmission reached the interviewer.

– Permission to broadcast has been granted. You may air the video.

Upon hearing this, the interviewer quickly manipulated the artifact to prepare the video.

“Professor Shim Ji-hyeok, we’ve just received permission to broadcast. Would you mind watching the video with us? I haven’t seen it myself yet.”

“Let’s watch it and see what absurdity awaits.”

–Bzzzzzt

After a brief noise, the Masked Instructor appeared on screen.

–Woooosh

As the Masked Instructor placed a hand on the Black Gate, a torrent of demonic energy began to surge toward him.

“Oooooh!”

“Is… is that even possible?”

“Huh…”

“Could it actually be real…?”

People in the audience gasped in unison, visibly alarmed. It was no wonder—they were witnessing something unprecedented: someone absorbing the energy of the Black Gate.

Imagine jumping into molten lava; everyone knows they’d melt away. Nobody in their right mind would try it. But now, before their very eyes, something even more absurd was unfolding.

–Whooosh

A suffocating torrent of demonic energy, one that would drain the life from anything nearby, was being pulled into the Masked Instructor’s body at a breakneck pace.

Then, in moments, that same energy surged out from his body.

–Whiiiiiir

The energy, transformed into black dots, shot up into the sky, floating momentarily before bursting.

–Boooom!

–Bang!

–Boom boom boom!

It sounded like thousands of fireworks exploding at once. Even with the volume moderated, people were overwhelmed by the sound. But most striking of all—

–Sssssss

The sky was entirely shrouded in black, devoid of any life force. It took quite a while for the sky to return to its original state.

‘What the f*ck is this?’

Professor Shim Ji-hyeok couldn’t believe his eyes. More precisely, his mind was rejecting the information his eyes were feeding it.

He had been a distinguished scholar in magical studies for over twenty years, with an extensive understanding of magical theory and ongoing research in the field.

But now, an entity defying physical laws was being projected right before him.

‘This… this is impossible…’

He couldn’t believe it. People who attempt to absorb even regular demonic energy usually die. Yet, here was a human absorbing enough energy to seal a Gate, something only a monster could achieve.

“It’s doctored… it has to be!”

Professor Shim shook his head, refusing to accept what was in front of him. In a single moment, everything he had dedicated his life to studying was shattered.

The interviewer looked at him with a sympathetic expression and replied, “Professor… the chances of this video being doctored are very low. It underwent a preliminary authenticity check before airing, and there were no traces of manipulation.”

“How can you be certain after only a preliminary check? At the very least, it should undergo second and third rounds of verification, along with cross-referencing! This is absurd. Such a thing is impossible. Can you cover the sky with your hand? You may perceive it that way, but that phenomenon isn’t actually occurring. This is no different from attempting to cover the sky with one’s hand. Are you suggesting this person is some kind of god?”

Professor Shim’s words came out frenzied, spittle flying as he vented his frustration.

“If this video isn’t doctored, then it’s utterly impossible. Don’t be ridiculous! If something like this were possible, people wouldn’t fear the Black Gate so much.”

“And that’s not all. To use the Black Gate as a power source for magic? Let’s assume, for argument’s sake, that it’s real. If such a feat were possible, that individual would be a walking nuclear bomb. Who knows what would happen if they used that power with malicious intent?”

Shim Ji-hyeok not only emphasized the absurdity of what they were witnessing but also crafted a framework in his mind to cast doubt on it, even if it somehow turned out to be true.

“Fuck… I never thought it would come to this.”

The reason for his desperate outburst was that Shim Ji-hyuk was, in fact, someone planted by the Tower Lord.

On the day when the Masked Instructor and Baek Jooseok had their public duel, the Tower Lord had an altercation with the Masked Instructor.

Right after that clash, the Tower Lord summoned Shim Ji-hyuk.

– “Why did you call for me, Tower Lord?”

– “Dr. Shim Ji-hyuk, you’ve always mentioned wanting a high-ranking position within the Tower, right?”

– “Yes, it’s a lifelong ambition for those who study magic, not just for me.”

– “If you do me a favor, I’ll offer you one of the influential positions in the Tower.”

– “Really?… What favor would that be?…”

– “It’s simple. You know about that Masked Instructor who’s been stirring things up, don’t you? I had a bit of trouble with him recently.”

– “I know a bit about him. What should I do?”

– “You’re a panelist on several shows, right? Just make periodic remarks criticizing his unproven external mana methods or teaching style. Say he’s a con artist or that he’s using dangerous, unverified techniques. You can be creative, but make sure to tarnish his reputation. Whenever he posts videos or behaves in any way that could seem dubious, don’t miss the chance to attack it. Especially if you can find something that could damage his reputation.”

– “Is that all I need to do?”

– “Yes. You’re quite known on these programs, so people will unconsciously take your words as truth. It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. I’ll also manipulate part of the media, so you just need to lead the smear campaign.”

– “If I succeed, what exact position will I get?”

– “Anything except the Tower Lord and Deputy Tower Lord. You can choose.”

– “That… that’s unbelievable… Are you serious?”

Shim Ji-hyuk looked at Shin Yura, the Tower Lord, with dazed eyes. She responded with disdain.

– “Do you doubt me? I always keep my word. But, of course, it only applies if you completely ruin the Masked Instructor’s reputation. So, do your best.”

Through years of teaching and appearing on shows, Shim Ji-hyuk had built up recognition as a frequent panelist on various programs.

However, he wasn’t a genius. To ordinary people, he appeared knowledgeable and articulate, which gained him popularity on broadcasts. Yet, the Tower, the dream of magic scholars, never took notice of his abilities.

The more famous he became, the greater his sense of inferiority grew.

“How much more fame and recognition do I need to even get close to the Tower’s doors?”

His curiosity turned into passion, then determination, and finally into an obsession and madness.

“I don’t care what I have to do—I want to step inside those doors.”

He had dedicated his life to studying magic. He wanted his very bones to be laid to rest within the Tower. The Tower was a sacred place for scholars immersed in magic, the sanctuary of those who delved deeply into the art.

“No… This was my golden opportunity.”

He had consistently criticized external mana, the Masked Instructor’s teachings, and theories like Circle Break that the instructor introduced.

He called it reckless and dangerous, unverified and risky, claiming the methods posed a threat to one’s body and could lead to a sudden demise.

By using words like these, he subtly planted seeds of doubt in people’s minds, slowly tarnishing the Masked Instructor’s reputation. It didn’t matter if it was true or not. Verification wasn’t necessary. When disparaging someone, the key was to plant doubt.

No matter how many good deeds someone does, if rumors spread that they assaulted someone, people’s perception can shift.

[What if?]

The power of “What if?” was stronger than one might think. It made people question if that person’s good actions were mere pretense, growing skeptical of their kindness. Without solid evidence, it wouldn’t lead to a decisive blow, but Shim Ji-hyuk was waiting for just that—something solid.

And now, a golden opportunity to fulfill the Tower Lord’s request and destroy the Masked Instructor’s reputation had finally arrived.

Word had spread that the Masked Instructor forced open a Black Gate and saved the people trapped inside.

Upon hearing this, Shim Ji-hyuk realized that, if the instructor didn’t respond to this controversy, he had a perfect plan.

A vile man blinded by fame who fabricated lies to become a hero. A dirty man who exploited a tragedy, in which lives were lost, for personal gain without bothering to clear up misunderstandings.

It was a perfect chance to turn him into a national villain overnight.

“My plan was flawless. Forcing open a Black Gate is impossible. Absolutely impossible.”

Shim Ji-hyuk repeated it to himself over and over, refusing to believe otherwise.

“Are you all seriously going to believe that video!…”

He started speaking to the audience, but his words were abruptly cut off.

– Hiss

The crowd was looking at him with icy stares.

Just now, a small seed of doubt had taken root in their minds.

Maybe, just maybe, Shim Ji-hyuk was the one who didn’t know what he was talking about.