Chapter 7: First class

“Nice to meet you. From now on, I will be the world’s greatest magician, Yang Han-gil, teaching you instead of Choi Joo-won.”

The subject that Choi Joo-won was in charge of at Helmuth Academy was ‘Practical Magic,’ a class for Hunter-class magic students.

Practical Magic was divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, and the classification criteria were based on Choi Joo-won’s subjective assessment of the student’s abilities.

For reference, while magic relies heavily on talent, there is also growth potential through effort.

The fortunate ones who entered Helmuth Academy—considered the top magic academy—never wanted to leave once they became students and sought to continue their studies.

Helmuth Academy wasn’t a school where students graduated; it was more like an institute where students could keep attending as long as they paid. Some stayed for more than five years.

One major reason why most magicians stayed even after becoming Hunters was due to the incredible benefits provided by the Academy. Additionally, not everyone had ever dropped out from Choi Joo-won’s class, which had 521 students, known for its excellent lectures.

The Practical Magic class, in particular, offered significant extra benefits.

Yang Han-gil, knowing all this, was shocked when he arrived in the classroom.

“What the…? Why are there only useless worms here?”

Even taking into account that it was the beginner class, there were many students who seemed subpar.

“How could Helmuth Academy have let such trash in?”

Yang Han-gil could see the general level of a student’s mana just by looking at them. From this, he could gauge their overall skill level.

He began rating the students in his mind, starting with the ones sitting at the back.

“F, F, F, D, F, D…?”

“Damn it… What’s wrong with their mana levels?”

Mana, the most important element for using magic, was blocked or disrupted in these students. Their condition was far from good.

Yang Han-gil quickly checked the ‘Evaluation Records,’ which documented the students’ previous statuses.

“This can’t be right.”

According to Choi Joo-won’s records from just a month, these worms had reportedly shown consistent growth of more than 3% in their abilities each month.

Yang Han-gil sighed in frustration.

“How am I supposed to teach these kinds of students? There’s no potential for growth at all!”
When Yang Han-gil had been a teacher before, he only taught students he considered to be at his level. However, the students here were all below standard—completely unsatisfactory to him.

Of course, the reason for the students’ miserable state was the activation of the SSS-class curse, but Yang Han-Gil didn’t know this, leaving him feeling incredibly frustrated.

[SSS] Cruel Fate
◎ Growth speed significantly decreases.
◎ Luck stat significantly decreases.
◎ Mana utilization ability significantly decreases.
◎ Total mana gradually decreases.
◎ Occasionally, great misfortune will strike.
◎ All effects continue until the ‘Successor’ link is restored.

Yang Han-gil felt overwhelmed by the situation ahead. The student’s condition was far worse than he had expected, and the 3% stat growth requirement left by Choi Joo-won seemed impossible to meet.

“Damn it… With these students in this state, not only is 3% impossible, I’m worried they won’t even increase their stats by 1%.”

He felt anxious. Yang Han-gil had staked his future, his life even, on this challenge. If he lost the bet, his life would be effectively over.

He had to increase the stats of the beginner, intermediate, and advanced students by more than 3% within six months, while also ensuring the academic performance satisfaction rating exceeded a B.

At first, he thought the goal was generous and the time ample. But now he realized it was anything but.

Even if the academic performance rating, which was based on student feedback, wasn’t a concern, there was no way these pathetic students could achieve even 1% growth, let alone 3%. He was just hoping their stats wouldn’t decrease.

If magicians didn’t actively train and refine their mana, their overall stats would gradually drop. So it wasn’t irrational for him to worry about the beginners’ stats declining.

“Damn… I can’t believe I’m thinking that it’d be lucky if their stats didn’t drop. What kind of magician has me thinking such pathetic thoughts? And I have to help these idiots grow?”
Yang Han-Gil looked at the beginners with disgust and spoke to them with disdain.

“Listen up. I don’t know exactly how Choi Joo-won taught you before. So don’t expect the same treatment or teaching methods.”

At that moment, Baek Hyun-seo raised his hand to ask a question.

“Excuse me, instructor. May I ask…?”

Before he could finish, Yang Han-gil glared and shouted at him.

“You worthless piece of trash! When did I say you could ask questions? Remember, I hold all the speaking rights here. Useless scum like you should just shut up and be grateful for this class.

I start the conversations, and I end them. The only time you can open your mouths is when I permit it.”

Still fuming, Yang Han-gil continued yelling.

“I feel like throwing up just looking at you, trash. Magic is something you’re born with. It’s a talent. It’s noble and beautiful. Yet, with such a pitiful amount of mana, with such worthless talents, what the hell are you even doing here? Where’s your shame?”

-Bang!
Yang Han-gil slammed his desk furiously as he spoke.

“From now on, consider yourselves livestock. When I say something, you follow it exactly. You worthless worms don’t need tailored education. Just do exactly what I say, when I say it. Got it?”

At that moment, a male student, unable to hold back any longer, stepped forward.

Even though male students existed at Helmut Academy, Choi Joo-won’s class was overwhelmingly popular among female students. As a result, the ratio of female applicants was much higher, and consequently, the majority of students were women.

Among the beginner students, Ahn Chan-hyuk, standing up, stared at Yang Han-gil and spoke.

“Sir, aren’t your words a bit too harsh? We’re here to learn magic, not to be treated like livestock being force-fed.”

Yang Han-gil looked at Ahn Chan-hyuk and smirked.

“Oh? Then how about you block this?”

—Whooooong!

In an instant, mana gathered rapidly in Yang Han-gil’s hand and began pressing down on Ahn Chan-hyuk’s body.

—Kugugugugu!

Ahn Chan-hyuk collapsed to the ground, his entire body being forced down, and he groaned in pain.

“Gghhh…what…is…this…?”

Yang Han-gil, looking down at him with a look of disgust, shouted.

“See? Your magic skills are so pathetic that you can’t even counter a basic gravity spell! If I applied just a little more pressure, you’d be crushed to death. You’re crawling on the ground like an insect, no, more like a bug. Am I wrong?”

—Whooong!

When Yang Han-gil released the magic, Ahn Chan-hyuk gasped for breath, glaring up at him as he spoke.

“Can you treat a student like this? Most of the students’ parents here are connected to high-ranking guilds. Do you really think you can handle it if you mess with not just me, but others as well?”

“Pffft.”

Yang Han-gil began laughing maniacally as he glared at the defiant student.

“Guilds? Did you say guilds just now? Which one? Luster? Daffeld? Wigrave? Stowe?”
Yang Han-Gil rattled off the names of some top-tier guilds, then continued speaking.

“You’re so clueless you can’t even recognize it, so I’ll spell it out for you. I’m a member of the Baal Guild.”

Baal, one of the top-tier guilds, exerted significant influence over the entire Helmut Academy. Though Yang Han-gil got in through connections rather than skill, he was still part of that community.

At the mention of the Baal Guild, Ahn Chan-hyuk’s mouth instantly shut. Yang Han-gil approached him and spoke.

“Don’t get cocky just because you have some petty authority. I can twist your life to the point that you won’t be able to do anything as a Hunter or a magician for the rest of your life.”

“I…I’m sorry…”

“Hah, pathetic. If you understand, then shut up and go back. There won’t be a next time.”
Truthfully, whether the guild leader of Baal, who was a core asset, would bother helping a loser like Yang Han-gil with a personal grudge was uncertain. However, most of the students at Helmut Academy were just turning twenty, meaning they were all essentially rookies in society. Just the fact that Yang Han-gil was associated with a top-tier guild was enough to instill fear in them.

“Now, let’s get back to the lesson.”

Yang Han-gil’s lessons were oppressive and violent, to say the least. Naturally, once class was over, complaints erupted among the students.

“Damn it…are we pigs and dogs or something? How can he treat us like this?”

“But…what can we do? He’s from that terrifying Baal Guild…”

“Baal or whatever, if we just quit the academy, what can he do?”

“You’d give up all the benefits Helmut Academy provides? For people like us with no talent, the dungeon entry tickets are crucial.”

Dungeon entry tickets, a key benefit Helmut Academy provided its students.
Normally, magicians below a B-grade couldn’t access any S- to F-grade gates. But with a ‘Dungeon Entry Ticket,’ even C-grade or lower magicians could enter gates and participate in dungeon activities.

The minimum requirement to access dungeons was a B-grade magician, which was no small feat. Depending on their talent, some people could train in magic for over ten years and still not reach that level.

That’s why students at Helmut Academy needed to continuously receive the Dungeon Entry Tickets handed out by the academy. Without them, they couldn’t continue entering low-grade dungeons and growing stronger.

The beginner students murmured among themselves.

“Damn…do we really have to keep enduring this kind of treatment?”

“Baek Hyeon-seo, your father is the president, right? Can’t you talk to him about this?”

“If…if a conflict arises with the Baal Guild…even my father would be in a tough spot. The leader of that guild is a famous Swordmaster…if a war broke out…”

For a moment, everyone fell silent. The leader of Baal. His skill was so overwhelming that not even Helmut Academy’s president, an A-grade magician, could hope to stand against him.

At that moment, Baek Hyun-seo muttered in a small voice.

“Choi… Choi Joo-won didn’t do this…”

Kim Si-yeon, who heard Baek Hyun-seo’s mutter, began to shout angrily.

“Baek Hyun-seo, why are you bringing up Choi Joo-won now? Have you already forgotten? That guy was a perverted voyeur who would steal other people’s phones on the intranet. I still get chills just thinking about it. No matter how awful Yang Han-gil is, don’t glorify Choi Joo-won. I’m disgusted with myself for ever having liked him. Never bring up that guy again.”

Yoon Seul-gi, who had been watching from the side, spoke with a trembling voice.

“Si-yeon’s right… Yang Han-gil might be scary and harsh, but he’s better than a pervert who snoops through other people’s conversations. At least he doesn’t spy on us… I used to like Choi Joo-won too, but honestly, I don’t understand why I ever felt that way. If I had known he was like that…”

Lee Ha-ru, who had been silently observing, also quietly added her opinion.

“Honestly, I did like Choi Joo-won at one point. He wasn’t bad-looking, and his teaching skills were excellent and meticulous, right? But as Si-yeon said, he was a criminal who committed offenses and didn’t even have the decency to admit it. So, Baek Hyun-seo, I hope you quickly get over your illusions about him. Even a perverted teacher who snoops on students’ personal information is better than that. It’s simply unacceptable.”

Soon, harsh criticisms of Choi Joo-won began to echo from the many female students. At that moment, Baek Hyun-seo started shedding tears like raindrops.

“Cough… Cough…”

Immediately, Yoon Seul-gi, Kim Si-yeon, and Lee Ha-ru, who had a close relationship with Baek Hyun-seo, hurried over to her.

“Why… why are you like this, Hyun-seo?”

“Are you okay? Why are you suddenly like this?” Hyun-seo.

“What’s wrong? Is it because of Choi Joo-won?”

Baek Hyun-seo could only sob uncontrollably and couldn’t speak.

‘I… if only I hadn’t… if only I hadn’t done that back then…’

Baek Hyun-Seo, lamenting about her hellish academy life she still had to endure with Yang Han-gil, felt incredibly sorry for Choi Joo-won, who was loved but now treated so harshly because of her momentary mistake.

‘If they were to learn the truth… what would their reaction be? How would they react if they found out that Choi Joo-won, whom they admired and respected, was actually innocent? Would they hate me? Or would they regret misunderstanding and apologize to the teacher?’

No matter what, Baek Hyun-seo was terrified. She was afraid of the backlash that would come when everything she had done was revealed.

“Cough… cough…”

Feeling an immense sense of pressure, Baek Hyun-seo had a seizure, frothing at the mouth as she collapsed.

“What… what’s happening? Snap out of it, Baek Hyun-seo!”

“Get up… are you okay?” Hyun-seo.

“Find someone who can use healing magic right away!”

With her vision fading, Baek Hyun-seo continuously muttered to herself.

‘Why… why am I so stupid…’

Baek Hyun-seo. Her simple yet disastrous decision began two days ago, when she discovered the intranet master key of Hellmunt Academy in her father’s office.

“Father, what is this magical artifact here?”