Chapter 34: Change (2)
“Ugh…”
James couldn’t get up. He cupped his nose with his hand, but the blood wouldn’t stop trickling through his fingers. The room was silent. The students stood by, watching, baffled by the drastic change in Klinssman’s character.
Suddenly, there was a bustle of noise,
“What the fuck’s happened?!”
“James!”
Upon hearing the news, James’ friends from the other class came in. They were met with the image of James bleeding on the floor and Klinssman standing over him. The two boys’ position told them all that they needed to know, and regardless of what had preceded the fight, they couldn’t tolerate their friend’s humiliation.
“That motherfucker!”
Haak
Mana was scattered into the air. As soon as they started casting, Kang Min-hyuk threw himself to the ground,
Thump,
and moved to the other side of the desk. Both of James’ friends dodged what would have been an attack if they were slower.
“Ignorant cub.”
The boy with an angular face moved aside, but his casting continued…an impossible feat in Kang Min-hyuk’s world. Usually, if you move during casting, your mana is broken, but the boy had a stable system.
“Transient casting?!”
Magic could be completed in an instant this way. The speed of his opponents was unusually fast.
“Lightning Bolt!”
Zzzap, tttsssss.
It was the first circle of electricity. A powerful spark hurled itself toward Kang Min-hyuk,
Papapak!
Kang Min-hyuk threw the desk up, using his feet, and threw it in the path of the lightning bolt. The attack wasn’t over yet. The blond-haired boy – the one who was casting – finished his spell just as Kang Min-hyuk’s body disappeared. Seconds later, a chair flew out at Blondie, smashing into him, and as this happened, Min-hyuk dashed towards Blondie, grabbing a fistful of pencils nearby, and rained them down upon the angular boy. The angular boy was embarrassed. The pencil attack was quite beautiful. Casting had been canceled by accurately grasping the mana’s flow, and at that minute, a reverse flow of mana occurred. As Kang Min-hyuk floated in the air, he kicked Blondie in the face, just as his head turned to face the assault.
Thump, pow!
Blondie fell to the floor. Blood spattered against the tiles. Kang Min-hyuk’s hands could do serious damage. From the moment he felt malevolence from his opponent, he refused to allow their victory. In a life-or-death situation, mercy is an act of idiocy stemming from arrogance.
Only Angular-face remained. He trembled at the situation he found himself in. He couldn’t complete casting, and mana was also unstable due to the backflow Kang Min-hyuk had created. It made Min-hyuk smile to see the boy squirm.
In Kang Min-hyuk’s world, sorcerers weren’t immediately respected. This was because they are easy prey to warriors. However, the wizards in this world were okay – they possessed some skill in battle. They were better than he expected. However, for Kang Min-hyuk – the rightful heir to the Guardian Gate, and a combat specialist, James and his party weren’t difficult to defeat. Angular-Face knew it. As Kang Min-hyuk approached, the boy canceled his magic and quickly submitted.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
He murmured through tears and a running nose.
The sight of James and his friend groaning on the floor robbed him of his will to fight, so he asked for forgiveness. He believed that Kang Min-hyuk would have mercy.
“Sorry? So what?”
Kang Min-hyuk’s expression was cold as he told his opponent,
“If you start something, it has to reach its natural, solid end.”
Whack!
“Agh!”
Kang Min-hyuk grabbed the boy by his hair. The boy screamed through a pain that seemed to be tearing his skull apart.
“STOP! Klinssman, stop right now.”
Faculty members were entering the classroom. Kang Min-hyuk looked back and forth between the doorway and his opponent.
“I’ll finish what I’ve started.”
Whack!
Angular-face’s head snapped to one side. As his final adversary fell to the floor, Kang Min-hyuk stepped back calmly, revealing that the fight was over.
* * *
James’ face had changed. His swollen, red nose was turned up to Professor Benjamin Wood as he spoke angrily,
“Look at my face! It was one-sided. Some nameless scumbag came into the Royal Academy of Magic and scarred James Chester’s face! My father will hear about this, and he will not rest until justice has been served! Punish him, punish him unconditionally.”
The Chester family was a famous English Magic family. They received special treatment from the Academy because they were benefactors. Their donations had built a luxurious building, so Benjamin had no option but to listen seriously to James’ outburst.
“Klinssman. Why did you hit James?”
The atmosphere shifted. It seemed that Benjamin had already chosen who to believe.
“Wherever I go, it’s the same…”
Klinssman began,
“People, class, society…”
Touching James would be seen as a felony for Klinssman, and he had absolutely no idea that any of this was happening. Kang Min-hyuk couldn’t understand why such a great wizard should be treated with such disrespect. He had to stand up to the three bullies – he didn’t know what the consequence would be for Klinssman, but he couldn’t just stand by and allow the same old scenario to repeat itself endlessly. In Kang Min-hyuk’s life, there were no wise teachings that advised stillness. Action was the answer.
“I’ve already told you. James hit me first. But you’ve already reached your conclusion! Don’t draw me into your lie; just be honest.”
“Klinssman!”
Benjamin’s eyebrows shot up at his student’s uncharacteristic response. He thought that Klinssman would recoil in the face of discipline. He was a timid and quiet student, wasn’t he? Such belligerence now, and more than that…such skill. The battle was three-on-one; it didn’t make any sense.
According to the student statements, it was noted that he took down James and his party while flying. That wasn’t an easy task. Realistically, Klinssman should have been obliterated. He shouldn’t have even come close – for him to get one hit in would have been admirable, but this? It was a mysterious case, but his duties were decided. His loyalty lay with the Chesters. Society is built on class, and Klinssman was a nobody.
“If there’s no sign of regret, I’ll have to suggest to the disciplinary committee.”
The problem just got worse and worse!
However, an hour later, Benjamin brought the students together, wearing a completely different expression. He seemed thoughtful and firm.
“We’re going to forget about today’s events. James has harassed Klinssman for as long as he’s been attending the Academy. I see Klinssman’s actions as self-defense, and that will be the end of it.”
James’ face burned red,
“Professor! Are you willing to lose your job for this?! You can’t be serious! I am James Chester, the Chester family’s eldest son, and I have been injured. My father won’t let this go, you know? Can you handle that?”
He had resorted to threats. However, Benjamin’s expression didn’t change. He spoke quietly, but firmly,
“it’s already been decided. Use your father’s power if you must. I won’t lie for you or him.”
The situation was insoluble. Kang Min-hyuk didn’t know what had changed the Professor’s mind. Upon leaving the school office, he looked James dead in the eye and said,
“Watch out. It won’t end like this next time. If you even think about touching me, consider what your life is worth and run. I don’t care about your family. I don’t care about you. I’ll stick a pencil through your throat if you come near me again.”
James’ face turned pale. Klinssman had unilaterally beaten him, and even his family’s reputation couldn’t change it. He watched as Klinssman left the building and gave himself a pinch to confirm that he wasn’t dreaming.
* * *
Kang Min-hyuk couldn’t make sense of it. Why doesn’t Klinssman reveal his ability? Why is there no discipline for James when his family is so great? Do they agree with his behavior? The situation was beyond the fathoms of logic.
Benjamin’s reaction to Min-hyuk’s explanation validated that he had no idea of Klinssman’s true nature. His initial reaction to punish him expressed a troubling level of anonymity shrouding Klinssman’s greatness. His wellbeing didn’t matter, but James’ did because he had a name worthy of respect. His attitude was awful, but his name could erase that. Not this time, though…this time, James lost. Really lost; he couldn’t even pretend to have won. Why had the Academy chosen Klinssman over a Chester? The Chesters, among other prestigious families, regularly donated to the Royal Academy; they are important.
Min-hyuk decided to see whether Klinssman was hiding a secret. How did Klinssman get into the Royal Academy with no background? There must be something he could find out. Was there a background unknown to the world that even the Chester family couldn’t touch? How could he find out? He could only speculate.
Regardless of his background, secret or not, Klinssman had no reason to be neglected by his classmates. There were many questions to be asked, but Kang Min-hyuk had also made a discovery. Klinssman had a gift for physical ability. The fight had proven how adept he was at fighting. Pain still throbbed from his dark bruises, but there was a sense of victory to them now. Before, Min-hyuk was heartbroken to think of Klinssman’s silent suffering at the hands of some bully.
“Ah, Klinssman. I have no idea who you are.”
His diary entries shed no light on his identity. He didn’t know him, but at least he saw him differently from how everybody else did.
In the same way that he saved himself, Kang Min-hyuk hoped to save Klinssman. He didn’t know if his next step would make it to him, but he wanted to try. He opened a notebook, and in the space, wrote:
“My life has changed: I want yours to change, too.”
He opened the spell-book.
[Guardian Gate’s Mana Spirit Method]
Perhaps he would have to remain in this Instinct a little longer. Suhomun’s deliberation method is overly complex – to solve it in writing would take a long time.
