Academy's Silver Gatekeeper

Chapter 24

After sending Suhyeon off to her class, I headed to the exam area. I waited quietly for any new applicants, but not a single person appeared.

“This won’t do.”

There were crowds the day before, yet now it was a ghost town. Some students caught sight of me and immediately fled. I started wondering if Jung Yuhyeon had spread rumors.

It was still just a “Silver” exam. I admitted I was strict, maybe too strict, but I never held back someone who was truly ready to advance. The second I began testing them, I could sense how lacking they were. My trait told me. If they left now, they would be in real trouble someday.

They might like having Silver for the time being, but a catastrophe was coming, and many of them would regret skipping proper training.

“I can’t exactly say, ‘In less than a year, our world will be drowned in chaos.’”

I briefly considered explaining that my ability was to see the future. That would let me justify why I was so set on strengthening them, as well as how I knew about Suhyeon’s situation.

It took about two seconds to realize how foolish that was.

I didn’t actually know enough about the future for it to hold up. I hadn’t finished the novel, so I only had partial knowledge. Suhyeon becoming the Red Witch, looming disasters, a few scumbags in disguise, and some potential deaths. That was it.

If everyone believed I could read the future, my life would no longer be my own. An ability like that would attract everyone’s attention. Groups, individuals, entire nations would see me as a target.

It was priceless to see even fragments of the future. I’d become a prize for villains, too.

I confirmed how powerless I was against the truly strong when I faced Kwak Hyeok, also known as the Elder. The Gatekeeper trait might let me deal with Gold, maybe even Platinum if I pushed it, but Platinum in the Academy was roughly B to A rank out in the real world. Famous heroes and notorious villains were fully trained A-ranks, and the Elder was a former S-rank.

“I can’t afford to stand out any more than this. I’d be finished.”

Kwak Hyeok, that Elder, had nearly killed me in just two hits last time. I only survived his third attack because Ma Hakjun stepped in. If he hadn’t retreated at that moment, I’d be gone.

I had to get stronger to protect myself, and maybe to protect others. Except no one was coming to be tested today.

“Examiner!”

At least I got a bit of relief when I heard a booming voice. It was exactly who I expected.

“Here for your exam again? You’re determined to reach Silver today, right?”

It was none other than Lee Hyunwoo, the man who overcame any lack of talent with relentless effort.

“Hey there. Looks like no one else is here.”

“Not just today. It might stay like this for a while.”

“Pardon?”

“They say the students are avoiding me because I make the Silver exam too difficult.”

He blinked at me as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

Someone like Lee Hyunwoo wouldn’t get it. He was someone who believed in hard work, who sweated his way to mastery.

I was fine covering him up to about Gold, maybe Platinum, but after that, I wasn’t so sure.

He was practically a cheat character with insane growth.

“Examiner?”

“Yes? Did you call me?”

“Aren’t we starting the exam? I’ve been ready for a while.”

Of course. He could have attacked me when my guard was down, but he politely waited.

“Ah, sorry. I was lost in thought. You’re all set?”

“Yes. I look forward to it. By the way, Examiner, there’s nobody else in line today, right? Does that mean I can go for longer this time?”

I didn’t mind. It just meant he’d suffer more. Then again, that was no problem for this champion of effort.

“Oh, right, Examiner! Did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“You know there’s a Student Council at the Academy, right?”

I sure did. I met two of its core members just yesterday. One of them was downright trash.

“I heard that all their key members were at least Gold, with some Platinum among them. But apparently there was an announcement on the bulletin board this morning that the Vice President got demoted to Bronze.”

So Kang Hana really did it. She had promised to handle it personally, and she sure did. Demoting someone from Gold to Bronze overnight was impressive. Perhaps Ma Hakjun had also signed off on it, given that he probably knew how awful the Vice President’s behavior was.

“Why does that concern examiners?”

“No matter the reason, won’t he try to climb back up fast? He’ll probably destroy the Silver examiners to get himself restored.”

I smiled inwardly. That wasn’t going to happen. He could never pass if I was the one testing him.

He was doomed to remain Bronze forever, stuck there until graduation, and maybe even beyond that. He was just that rotten.

“Let’s stop chatting and begin, shall we?”

“Yes! Examiner, I’m coming now! Hyaaaah!”

Lee Hyunwoo let out a fierce shout and charged like lightning. I activated my trait at the sight.

◎ No Pain, No Gain Trait activated

Target – Lee Hyunwoo

Stack 1