Chapter 58: How to Subdue the Arrogant Song Mina

Song Mina. She first met Choi Juwon years ago at the Helmunt Academy entrance exam.

“Greetings, everyone. I am Baek Jooseok, the president of Helmunt Academy. I’m delighted that so many talented individuals have applied to our academy. I believe those who pass today’s test will uphold the prestigious title of our academy with fitting conduct and dignity.”

Years ago, the Helmunt Academy entrance exam was conducted under President Baek Jooseok’s supervision. At that time, Helmunt Academy hadn’t yet been officially recognized as a prestigious institution. However, those in the know were already aware that Helmunt Academy would soon rise to become the best in the country.

The reason was simple. There was an exceptionally capable instructor there.

Because Baek Jooseok tightly controlled information to avoid losing his instructor to headhunting offers, the instructor’s face wasn’t as well-known as his reputation, but he was a figure who piqued everyone’s interest. His name was Choi Juwon.

The Helmunt Academy entrance exam was straightforward: Mana measurement, Magic application assessment, and Magic comprehension test.

In short, they focused on the total amount of Mana and how well applicants understood and applied magic. The test measured practical magical ability.

After the speech, Choi Juwon approached Baek Jooseok, who had stepped down from the podium, and asked,

“President, why were the beginner practical magic class students selected without taking the entrance exam?”

The class Choi Juwon was newly in charge of at Helmunt Academy was the most sought-after: [Practical Magic]. Baek Jooseok had already selected a considerable number of students for the beginner class without any testing process. Choi Juwon was curious about his intentions.

President Baek Jooseok replied with a friendly smile,

“As befits the name ‘beginner,’ I selected a few individuals who, despite being somewhat lacking in ability, are passionate about learning. The students I chose may seem a little short on skills, but they possess perseverance and good character. Even those without exceptional talent should have the opportunity to learn. And since we’ll select the intermediate and advanced students based on ability, there’s no issue, right?”

Choi Juwon nodded at Baek Jooseok’s words. Baek Jooseok thought to himself,

‘Does this
keep asking these questions because he genuinely doesn’t know? It’s obviously about the money. You wouldn’t believe how much money people offer to get their kids into the popular beginner class. If I only selected students fairly, how would I make any money?’

‘
… If it weren’t for his abilities, I would’ve fired him already.’

At the time, Helmunt Academy was gaining immense popularity thanks to Choi Juwon’s teaching skills. There were no replacements for him. Baek Jooseok knew there were plenty of places willing to pay several times Choi Juwon’s current salary to poach him. That’s why he tried his best to appease him.

Unaware of Baek Jooseok’s thoughts, Choi Juwon said casually,

“It’s about to begin.”

The most important part of the Helmunt Academy entrance exam was undoubtedly the Magic application assessment.

The assessment method was relatively simple. Multiple layers of magically created obstacles were placed in front of a Mana crystal ball. The examinee had to use magic to bypass the obstacles and then strike the Mana crystal ball.

Simply put, it was about navigating obstacles and hitting the crystal ball, evaluating how flexibly one could use magic.

-Kwaaaaaang-!

The tests were beginning all around them.

“There are quite a few talented prospective students this year.”

Choi Juwon spoke, observing the students. Baek Jooseok replied with a friendly smile,

“Isn’t it all thanks to your exceptional skills, Instructor? It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that so many people gathered here because of Instructor Choi Juwon’s reputation.”

Baek Jooseok’s respectful demeanor, even using honorifics, would have astonished anyone who knew his true nature. It was pure pretense.

Choi Juwon knew it was an act, but he didn’t mind. He needed exceptional disciples to clear the final main quest assigned to him after being transmigrated into this world.

Since his transmigration, Choi Juwon had cleared numerous quests. And now, the final main quest remained. Designed to be impossible to clear alone, he was working as an instructor to nurture colleagues who met the requirements. In short, at that time, the academy was merely a means for Choi Juwon to return to Earth. He had started teaching to find exceptional disciples, believing it was best to find raw talent and nurture it himself.

-Flick

Choi Juwon looked around, observing the students’ skills. Just then…

-Kwaaaaaaaaaaaang-!

A tremendous sound and a massive cloud of smoke erupted from one area.

“Wh… What happened?!”

The surrounding instructors rushed to the scene. Choi Juwon also slowly approached the source of the smoke.

‘Wow… Is this even possible?’

Standing where the smoke had cleared was a prospective student who had not only bypassed the magically created obstacles but also completely shattered the Mana crystal ball.

“What do I do now that it’s broken?”

The student reacted as if it were nothing special. Generally, the finer the control over magic, the weaker its power. Therefore, generating enough force to destroy the highly durable Mana crystal ball in this test was something most people could only dream of.

However, the girl in front of him looked as if this was only to be expected.

“Unbelievable…”

Choi Juwon couldn’t help but exclaim. This was an impossible feat unless one possessed an exceptional understanding of magic. He wondered how strong this girl would become if she received proper magical training at the academy. A powerful curiosity gripped him.

‘With this level of skill, she would be a great asset in the final quest.’

With that thought, Choi Juwon asked the girl her name.

“Prospective student? Your skills are remarkable. May I ask your name?”

The girl replied haughtily,

“Do you need to know my name?”

Taken aback, Choi Juwon tilted his head and asked,

“Do you not know who I am? I was simply trying to introduce myself. You’re being a little aggressive.”

“Do I need to know who you are? I don’t want to remember, and I don’t remember, people weaker than me. Shall I put it simply? I don’t want to tell you my name, and I don’t want to know yours.”

The girl, Song Mina, replied mockingly.

She wore an arrogant expression. Looking at her, Choi Juwon thought,

‘In this
world, those with strong power all seem to have something wrong with their personalities.’

Objectively and subjectively, Song Mina possessed exceptional talent. She didn’t seem very old, and with this level of magical control, even if not entirely unprecedented, she was certainly a talent that appeared only once every few decades. Of course, if Choi Juwon trained her, she would become even more monstrous.

‘I need to break her spirit first.’

Choi Juwon spoke to the girl,

“I acknowledge your exceptional talent. However, is it right to behave so rudely to others? I was simply impressed by your abilities and asked for your name. You can deduce that I’m an instructor, given President Baek Jooseok’s presence beside me. Was such an aggressive reaction necessary?”

Although Choi Juwon’s name was well-known in the media, his public appearances were restricted by Baek Jooseok, so his face was relatively unknown. It was natural that Song Mina didn’t recognize him.

Song Mina laughed and replied,

“That’s a fallacy. Isn’t it natural for truly capable people to be confident and disregard others? What difference does it make to be considerate in a world where might makes right? The structure of the strong trampling the weak doesn’t change. I can assure you, words like ‘consider the weak’ and ‘be humble’ are simply created by the powerless to bring down the strong. Truly capable people don’t bother with such pathetic nonsense. You seem like an incompetent instructor.”

“Not everyone in the world lives like you.”

“Tsk, a typical answer from an incompetent instructor.”

Choi Juwon didn’t respond to her words and walked towards the Magic application testing area.

Delicate Mana began to emanate from Choi Juwon’s hand like threads.

-Paaaaaaaaaang-!

The Mana emanating from his hand moved like a snake, effortlessly avoiding all the obstacles.

-Shhhhhhiiiiiing

The Mana, emitting a chilling whooshing sound, whipped around like a drawn bowstring before splitting into more than ten strands and soaring into the sky.

-Whiiiiiik

Then, the threads of Mana struck the Mana crystal ball.

-Kwaaaaaaaaaaaang-!

Everyone around them was startled by the tremendous sound and looked towards the source.

There, they saw the Mana crystal ball. However, it was now beautifully cut into the shape of a snowflake.

“Wow…”

The prospective students gasped in unison. Even Baek Jooseok, watching from the side, looked dumbfounded and checked the scene repeatedly. No further explanation was needed to illustrate how extraordinary it was to manipulate a Mana crystal ball like Choi Juwon had just done.

It was undeniably more difficult to shape the Mana crystal ball into a specific form than to completely shatter it with a single spell. This wasn’t a matter of power but of skill. It clearly demonstrated that Choi Juwon’s Mana control had reached the level of an absolute master.

Choi Juwon shrugged as if it were nothing and said,

“My raw power isn’t particularly exceptional. However, my understanding of magic is S-rank, so this is nothing to me. It’s not about power. It’s about skill.”

-Thud, Thud, Thud

Choi Juwon walked slowly and stopped right in front of the girl.

“Don’t look down on others, boast, and act so haughty with just that level of skill. Not everyone in the world is like you.”

The girl remained silent, as if she had forgotten how to speak. Choi Juwon looked down at her and said,

“You got angry when I asked your name, saying I had no right to know it? I’m the instructor who will be teaching you.”

“According to your logic, I won’t need to know your name in the future either.”

“Because you’re weaker than me.”