Chapter 31
After the morning roll call the third day of the academy felt more like a normal school day than the other days.
According to Ji-hyun, the instructor in charge, the third day is more about strengthening the mental side than the physical side, so it seemed like they were just giving the students time to rest physically.
“There’s no good reason for that at all.”
The reason for this day off?
I knew better than anyone that it was for the class ranking match the following Tuesday.
‘Class ranking match.’
It was an event that every student at Seoul Hero Academy had to go through at least once, where the first-year classes would go through a dungeon and determine the ranking of each class.
Since most ranking battles take place on a random day during the first semester, only a few people in the academy know when they take place.
Of course, the only reason I know about this is because I know from the game that it takes place on the Tuesday following unconditional admission at this time of year.
“It’s nice to just suck honey (relax) every day like today, isn’t it, boss?”
When I saw him sleeping and not doing any physical work, I thought, “Does he know?” but then I realized that’s just the way he is.
I don’t know if he has a good sense or if he’s just really dull.
“Okay, class is about to start, so get everything ready.”
The noisy classroom falls silent as the instructor enters the room.
It hadn’t been long since the academy opened, so most of the instructors were new to the class. Of course, I know who he was.
<Personality Book>
[Name: Park Yun-ho]
[Affiliation: Academy, South Korea]
[Age : 34 years old]
[Specialty: Villainology, Illusionary Magic]
[Description: An instructor at the Seoul Hero Academy. He conducts research on villains in the modern world and has fought many in the past]
According to the character book, Park Yun-ho appeared in the game as an NPC at the academy, providing information about villains and giving out missions.
His slicked-back, all-white hair and piercing eyes might seem to suggest that he is a cold, hard man, but he is also one of the few people in the academy with heroic values.
So much so, in fact, that the Academy always rewarded its students for capturing, subduing, or eliminating villains.
“My name is Park Yun-ho. I’m the instructor who will teach you Villainology starting today. Classes will be held twice a week, but I must warn you that this schedule may change at any time depending on the instructor’s schedule.”
After writing his name on the smart blackboard at the front of the classroom, Park Yun-ho immediately transmitted data to the smart tablets at each seat.
“Here are the textbooks for this semester. Now that the introductions are over, let’s get started.”
Even though it was his first class, Park Yun-ho went straight to class after a brief introduction. His expression didn’t falter, even though the children in the room let out an exasperated gasp.
“Today, we’re going to learn about the villains from the 15th place to the 30th place. The first villain is the ‘Bloody Clown’. In Korea, he was known as the ‘Blood Clown’. Does anyone know anything about him?”
No one raises their hand at the instructor’s question because he was active between 2012 and 2014. Back then, most of the kids here were babies, so it would be normal to not know.
“Hmm…… That’s right, there was an additional admission student in this class, I think. Eugene Han, do you know about ‘Bloody Clown’?”
Suddenly, an arrow is pointed at me. No, I didn’t even raise my hand, and he’s asking me?
Of course, it’s not like I didn’t know about him.
“His real name is Jack Clawood. He’s an American villain with the ability to turn his breath into a gaseous bomb and the ability to change his appearance.”
Instructor Park nodded after hearing my answer.
“That’s correct. He’s a class A villain who used those abilities to prank the American Association. Now, I’ll send you a photo.”
A photo arrives via tablet on the desk.
It was a man with a painted face and a ridiculous outfit that looked like a maniacal clown with no place to go.
“Eventually, he was captured by American hero Luna Armstrong and instructor Lee Ji-hyun, who now teaches at our academy. After his capture, he was sentenced to 235 years in Niflheim, an American prison for the insane, and today we’re going to learn from him what it means to be a ‘villain’.”
……And he was also a villain who escaped a short time later and came to South Korea to take revenge on Lee Ji-Hyun, who had captured him. This was also one of the Academy’s events, so I remembered it.
“Okay, first things first. Let’s talk about what a ‘villain’ is.”
As he spoke, he wrote the word ‘villain’ in large letters behind him.
“Cadet in front of you, your name is……No Yu-woon, what is a villain?”
Startled by the sudden mention of his name, he slowly opened his mouth.
“Uh……aren’t they awakened who commit crimes?”
After hearing his answer, the instructor nods.
“You’re half right. A villain is an Awakened who commits crimes, but the correct definition of ‘villain’ is an Awakened who is registered as a villain in the Hero Association’s database.”
A puzzled look appears on the children’s faces as they hear instructor Park’s words.
“Only Awakened registered in the database are villains? What does that mean?”
Park Yun-ho seems to recognize the atmosphere and continues.
“Let’s take the easiest example: Vito Corleone, the ruler of the former Refugee Zone, now Foreign Zone, located in Incheon. Is he a villain?”
……And all of a sudden my father’s name comes up here?
To be sure, Vito Corleone, the father of this body, was one of the few awakened in the world that did not belong to the Hero Society. However, the world did not call him a villain.
“I don’t think he’s……a villain.”
“Vito Corleone is running a mafia in the territory of the Republic of Korea, and he controls the entire underworld, so he’s a villain, isn’t he?”
“That……is because, I’ve heard that after the chaos caused by his presence, discipline was established in the world and the crime rate dropped significantly.”
Park Yun-ho snaps his fingers, apparently liking No Yu-woon’s answer.
“Yes, that’s true. Although I’m not a fan of Corleone, his presence has brought order to the world, and that’s why the Association has decided to define ‘villains’ as such. Awakened individuals who have caused significant international and societal damage and are registered in the database shall be referred to as ‘Villains’.”
Instructor Park tapped the board and snapped his fingers as the classroom began to change shape.
Park Yun-ho has used his magic to create an illusion in the classroom.
The lighting begins to change into something colorful and the classroom table where he is standing is transformed into a dining bar and near it, we see people toasting with bottles of liquor, and lovers in colorful intricate dresses kissing passionately.
The only strange thing is that all the people…… that appeared in this place are motionless, as if time has stopped.
“This is the scene of the party where the Bloody Clown was last captured, reconstructed by my abilities. The accuracy rate is ninety-nine percent, so I’d say it’s a perfect match.”
Then he smirked and turned to us.
“Here’s a challenge. The first cadet to guess correctly will be awarded one store point, so try your best.”
The kids’ eyes lit up at the mention of a store point.
The academy’s store point is an extremely valuable point that can be exchanged for equipment or elixirs that the academy has.
In my case, I also had a store point from Kang Seung-tae, the head of the Incheon branch, so if I got it again, I would have a total of two points.
“One of the people in this crowd is the ‘Bloody Clown’. All the evidence you need to deduce it is already out there, so if you think hard enough, you’ll find him.”
The class begins to murmur as they hear his problem.
How are they supposed to find the Bloody Clown in a classroom that is nearly full? He even changes his appearance, only revealing his true identity just before he strikes.
In other words, it was too difficult.
……the other kids were probably thinking by now but I’m the first to raise my hand, and Park Yun-ho points to me.
“There you go, Cadet Eugene Han. Tell me.”
“Yes.”
The question Park Yoon-ho was asking was an in-game event that required reasoning and concentration. And best of all, I had already beaten this event before.
“Over there, the man standing alone in the corner is the Bloody Clown.”
I said, pointing to the man standing still in the corner of the classroom.
“Ho-ho, what makes you think that?”
Instructor Park asked with a puzzled expression after hearing my answer.
“The Bloody Clown’s ‘breath’ is very similar to a gaseous bomb and according to the books the instructor sent us, he doesn’t normally control his ability.”
I said, looking at the people around the room, especially the smokers.
“As you can see, it’s the party season in America, and most people are smoking. If he took a breath in the middle of all that, it would have been a disaster that would have included him, so I assumed that the person, who is the furthest away from the danger of fire, would be Bloody Clown.”
Park raised his eyebrows at my explanation.
“Is that it?”
“As far as I can tell, I guessed he had a subspace artifact because of the tattered clothes that could hide a clown costume, the white powder on the shoes, and the bag that was open but not visible inside.”
The classroom erupts in applause as the illusion fades.
“Excellent. According to you, the ‘Bloody Clown’ was extremely fire-averse before he lost control of his powers and went on a terrorizing rampage. You may pick up your prize at the end of class.”
“Thank you.”
I have to store points now and if I remember correctly, a single usable potion was three points, so I thought I’d gotten a pretty good deal.
“As Cadet Eugene Han just said, he’s made a lot of mistakes that make him a ‘villain’. But even with all of his attacks, it wasn’t easy to catch him, because we didn’t have any organized information that would allow us to guess the ‘villain’.”
Reaching for his marker again, he draws an X across the word “villain” on the board.
“And what you will learn from me in the future is……the habits and characteristics of villains, and their weaknesses.”
