Support Ex-Rank
Freshmen area, in the backyard used by faculty members.
Those dressed in doll clothes were moving the fallen bears.
They are to be transported to the Eunyeonggwan Research Building, Light Skill Research Lab 4.
The people in doll clothes were all from the Tiger Clan.
“The other one?”
When Baekho asked briefly, the tiger dressed in doll clothes responded politely.
“We’re moving as instructed. There are a lot of them so it will take time.”
“Alright.”
The surroundings were tidied up in an instant while the two were talking.
Thanks to the efforts of the Tiger Clan, only a slight detectable presence of energy wave remained.
The area was so clean that it was hard to imagine that a fierce battle occurred just now.
When everything seemed to settle down, Yong Jegun was the first to speak.
“We caught one of the Eight Real Bears alive. How lucky. I didn’t think we’d lose, but I thought Beonmin would die. Looks like Shinrok will be very busy.”
“…”
The numbers that were placed today worked out, capturing the Bear of Anguish.
Beonmin made fun of Kim Shinrok until the end, but his tongue was effectively baked by Jeokho’s lightning, and he was hit in the back of the head by Baekho, causing him to faint.
Baekho and Jeokho wanted to break Beonmin even further, but they decided to leave him alone when Kim Shinrok expressed that he wanted to research him.
Kim Shinrok felt happy that Baekho and Jeokho respected his request, but he still felt feverish.
‘It’s not over yet. I need to get my act together.’
Kim Shinrok tried to arrange his next moves when Yong Jegun spoke, sobering him up.
“Shinrok-ah, shouldn’t you talk to your student before you move?”
“…!”
“You didn’t respond to that bear’s suggestion because you trusted your students. If you believe in them, you should encourage them. It’s only right as a teacher.”
Yong Jegun half-teased Kim Shinrok as if he weren’t just vomiting blood a while ago.
The wind that blew throughout the fight with the Bear Clan was Yoo Sanghee’s light skill, Healing Wind.
Yoo Sanghee’s wind, which was originally an attack light skill, received the power and order of Akea.
It was no exaggeration that Yoo Sanghee’s ability to attack enemies, give debuffs, and heal allies all in one was the strongest support ability there was.
Her ability healed Jeokho and Yong Jegun.
It was difficult to say whether there was a limit to recovering consumed energy waves.
Yong Jegun wasn’t restored to perfect condition, but he recovered enough to fight.
‘As soon as he got better, this dragon…!’
Kim Shinrok remembered Yong Jegun almost dying on his shoulder, making him feel choked up.
He didn’t throw a tack at the dragon because of it, but he couldn’t help but feel mad at Yong Jegun’s sly face.
And he was deeply troubled by the student mentioned by Yong Jegun.
It was a student other than Yoo Sanghee, who they got to cooperate with the Tiger Clan at Jo Euishin’s request.
‘…A bullet flew into his hand earlier.’
Through the wind blew by Yoo Sanghee, several bullets flew to the hand of the bear.
Considering the bear’s speed and the strength of the wind, only someone with an extremely good shooting skill can do that.
And it’s not easy scratching a royal lineage’s skin with a regular gun.
A player with that high of a sniping skill and the power to control an energy wave gun that well.
A sharpshooter who shoots bullets as if they were possessed by a god.
Kim Shinrok recalled his student, Ahn Dain.
Tak.
When the men from the Tiger Clan left, two people who had been hiding from far away appeared.
The first one was Yoo Sanghee.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Sanghee.”
“It’s nothing. I would’ve volunteered to come forward even if you didn’t ask for it.”
Jeokho and Yoo Sanghee exchanged greetings, but Kim Shinrok couldn’t speak.
He wanted to say thanks, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the person who was behind Yoo Sanghee.
While receiving the person’s gaze, Kim Shinrok remembered that he was in his true appearance now.
He immediately felt dizzy.
‘Where do I start?’
Yong Jegun repeatedly called him ‘Shinrok,’ so his identity is already revealed.
No, even if Yong Jegun kept his mouth shut, the hair and clothes would’ve given it away easily.
It’s also revealed that he’s a descendant of the Tiger and Bear clans.
Along with how he’s treated and how much danger he’s in.
‘…Should I get angry?’
Kim Shinrok is who the Bear Clan is after.
It’s a situation where he could put his students in danger.
‘It’s because of me that Group 13 was almost wiped out last time!’
Remembering the invasion of the Bear Clan during last year’s entrance exam, Kim Shinrok felt a chill down his spine.
If Jo Euishin hadn’t saved everyone then, all the students in Group 13 would’ve been wiped out.
If that happened, Kim Shinrok wouldn’t be able to sleep comfortably, even if he died.
If he didn’t become a teacher…
No, if he hadn’t been born at all and caused pain to Jeokho…
Kim Shinrok would continue to regret everything.
‘I knew that but I kept choosing to be a teacher…’
Kim Shinrok hid his identity and remained as a teacher at Eungwang High.
On the surface, the reason is that he wanted to help by working at Eungwang High, an institution ran by the Tiger Clan.
But with or without him, Eungwang High would operate just the same.
Kim Shinrok didn’t try to think deeply, but the reason why he spent a long time being a teacher was clear.
He likes it.
It was worth teaching someone.
To the point where he’d put himself in danger for his students.
“Professor.”
He raised his head when he heard the voice that was already close by.
He was looking at the ground without realizing it.
At some point, Ahn Dain stood right in front of Kim Shinrok.
“Professor Kim Shinrok.”
Ahn Dain was the first to call him “Professor Kim Shinrok” while he’s in his true appearance apart from Jo Euishin.
Unlike her usual cool and calm appearance, Ahn Dain had a somewhat disturbed expression.
She spoke grievingly.
“I didn’t know that you were in such a dangerous situation, Professor. I was just sad without knowing that. I feel sorry that you can’t open this up to us, Professor.”
Kim Shinrok’s heart broke.
He had no idea that his student felt that way.
He felt sorry that Ahn Dain didn’t say anything close to blaming him.
“Dain-ah…”
Kim Shinrok smiled lightly when he called her name, but Ahn Dain’s eyes were wet.
She was holding back her tears.
Looking at his student’s eyes, Kim Shinrok lost his words again.
He wanted to apologize, but when he saw his student crying, his heart became too heavy and he couldn’t speak.
In the meantime, Ahn Dain returned to her usual calm demeanor and continued to talk.
No, rather than calmness, a determined look was on her face.
“I want to fight with you from now on, Professor Kim Shinrok. Let me repay your kindness.”
Not understanding Ahn Dain’s words right away, Kim Shinrok’s eyes opened wide.
He’s always thought about what his students would say had they found out about him, but this was something he never imagined.
He asked back with a bewildered face.
“Fight together…”
“If they aim for you again, I will fight the Bear Clan.”
“You know how dangerous the Bear Clan is, yet you say those…!”
“I know because I saw it. And that it was one of the Eight Real Bears that attacked you.”
Ahn Dain knew exactly who she was shooting.
She heard the entire conversation during the frenzy, and she organized what she got to know.
With his student knowing such dangerous information, Kim Shinrok couldn’t help but worry.
“You don’t have to worry. I’ll be strong enough to hunt the Bear Clan, and I will prepare thoroughly.”
Ahn Dain’s eyes glinted sharply when she said “Bear Clan.”
It was her usual eyes right before she pulled her trigger.
Kim Shinrok was still flustered, but Baekho, Jeokho, and Yong Jegun watched the scene with satisfaction.
Even though Kim Shinrok’s identity was revealed, they were proud that he had a student who followed him well.
“I’m grateful that you’d fight for my son.”
“Are you Professor Kim Shinrok’s father?”
“Yes, my name is Jeokho.”
Jeokho looked at Ahn Dain with melancholy.
He met her in replay when she was visiting Shinsoo’s tomb.
Of course, it didn’t happen in this world, so that connection didn’t continue.
Still, Jeokho remembered all of Ahn Dain’s good deeds.
On the other hand, Ahn Dain immediately released her guard after hearing that he was Kim Shinrok’s father.
It was more so because she saw how Jeokho fought for his son.
Jeokho and Ahn Dain clicked and quickly exchanged contact information.
Yong Jegun was the most pleased to see that.
“I’m relieved that Dain will fight alongside Shinrok.”
“Is what you said before related to this situation, Professor Yong Jegun?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Ahn Dain recalled what Yong Jegun said after the festival event of Class 1-1.
— I want you to protect Shinrok from any royal lineage if I become a superior being.
That royal lineage was the Bear Clan and perhaps part of the Tiger Clan.
Kim Shinrok is a descendant of both clans, so he can’t go against them easily.
Ahn Dain solved most of what Yong Jegun said, but there was still something that bothered her.
Ahn Dain stared at Yong Jegun’s cyan eyes.
They were only slightly open.
“…!”
As soon as their eyes met, Ahn Dain felt intimidated.
Yong Jegun’s eyes had an unusual energy.
“Professor Yong Jegun… Those yes…”
“Yong Jegun…”
“…”
Ahn Dain wasn’t the only one who felt it.
Yoo Sanghee, Jeokho, and Baekho felt it too.
“Ah, the students of Eungwang High, and maybe those outside the school, saw the miracle I did. I guess my divinity went up.”
Yong Jegun took something out of his arms.
Inside the golden envelope was a blindfold decorated with gold thread and embellished with jade thread.
Yong Jegun slowly covered his eyes with the blindfold.
“I might ascend soon.”
Divinity, the energy of a superior being emitted from Yong Jegun’s eyes.
Looking at his friend’s face covered with a blindfold, Kim Shinrok couldn’t take his eyes off Yong Jegun.
Support Ex-Rank
