Academy's Silver Gatekeeper

Chapter 15

I stepped out of the secluded area and into the heart of the Academy.

Kim Suhyeon had lectures to attend as a student, and I had to return to my duties as a dispatched public servant.

"Alright then, Suhyeon, I guess this is where we—"

Glance, glance—

As soon as we entered the main walkway, something about her changed.

Every time students passed by, her eyes darted around uneasily. If anyone got too close, she tensed up, clenching her fists.

I still remembered how she acted when she visited me in the hospital—smiling brightly, chatting away happily.

But that was only in front of me.

Seeing her like this now, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Suhyeon."

Still glancing around.

It was like watching a black cat—no, a black meerkat.

"Suhyeon?"

"Y-Yes, Examiner."

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Was she still shaken from nearly being abducted by Elder?

That wasn't impossible. I'd heard some students were suffering from PTSD after the attack.

"A-Ah, no. It's fine, Examiner."

That was a lie.

It was all too obvious.

The way she fidgeted with her hands, the nervous glint in her eyes—Anyone could see that she was anything but fine.

"There won’t be any more villain attacks. Security has been tightened after the last incident."

"Yes, I know. That’s... that’s a relief."

She didn't look relieved at all.

So it wasn’t Elder she was afraid of. This was something else.

I followed her gaze, observing where her eyes landed.

She had no reaction when people were far away. But whenever someone approached, she grew visibly uneasy.

It was a strange response.

As if she didn’t want them to come closer.

Ah.

I got it.

The reason why she was acting like this.

The legendary hero Kang Minseong. The greatest weapons master in history. And his granddaughter.

Kim Suhyeon.

I was the only one ignorant of this fact. Everyone else knew.

Of course, that meant everyone was watching her.

‘Whether it was for good reasons or bad ones, it didn't matter.’

To Kim Suhyeon, all of it had become overwhelming stress and suffocating pressure.

That bastard Park Junwoo had clearly tried to use her for his own gain.

She thought she was nothing, yet she was constantly surrounded by people who expected everything.

And among them were those vile enough to try and exploit her.

With her already fragile sense of self-worth, all of this must have turned into pure poison.

She was afraid of people approaching her—of their expectations.

For someone who believed herself to be worthless, that must have been even more terrifying than a nightmare.

‘She needs help.’

Kang Minseong had said that my presence seemed to have influenced her.

It had only been a brief encounter, but in that moment, I had done something she had desperately wanted to do herself.

‘What did that friend of mine say again about overcoming this?’

The first step in overcoming an inferiority complex—Acknowledging your own shortcomings.

The hardest yet most crucial part.

I still remembered how my friend had described it.

"They're lucky."

"Huh?"

"The students here. They're lucky to have made it into the Academy."

Kim Suhyeon’s interest was piqued.

Good. That was the first step.

Of course, this meant I had to self-destruct a little, but so what?

"I failed the entrance exams multiple times."

"...What?"

"I thought just awakening my ability would be enough. That once I had power, everything would work out like it did for everyone else. But it didn’t. My life actually got worse after awakening."

"Why...?"

The first student I was evaluating today.

"Lee Hyunwoo."

The protagonist.

The hard-working genius who would one day surpass talent itself.

"Are you feeling alright, sir?"

I smiled and gave him a very sad answer.

"If I’m here at work, I think that answers your question."

"...You must be going through a lot."

He looked at me with sympathy.

Even to him, my situation probably seemed ridiculous.

Being forced to work right after being discharged from the hospital...

Maybe he was mentally noting to never become a government employee.

Or maybe that was just my imagination.

"You were incredible, Examiner."

As I was getting ready to start the test, Hyunwoo suddenly said that.

Incredible?

What the hell was he talking about?

I looked at him, puzzled, and he continued—

"For standing against the Elder."

What?

You saw that too?

I thought only Suhyeon knew.

And what’s this “incredible” nonsense?

I got my ass beat into the ground.

My ability just wouldn’t let me run away.

"I admire that courage. I hope to have that kind of strength too."

Standing against an Elder isn’t courage.

It’s just reckless idiocy.

Even A-rank Superhumans couldn’t withstand them.

What was this kid talking about?

Before he could say anything more embarrassing, I quickly changed the subject.

"Let’s get started. There are a lot of students waiting behind you."

Hyunwoo was the protagonist.

A guaranteed first-place lottery ticket.

Right now, he was just Bronze-ranked,

but one day, he would become an unstoppable force.

That was good news for me.

I needed him to get there.

With Gates going out of control, monsters increasing, and villains waiting for their chance...

Things were only going to get worse.

And when that time came—I needed Hyunwoo to be strong.

‘Which is exactly why I can’t let him pass yet.’

- Activating The Third Eye

◎ Baek Seojin

Silver Gatekeeper

◎ Details:

No one can pass without the Gatekeeper’s permission.

And then—

A new notification appeared.

- Required Condition Met

◎ Trait Enhancement Activated.

- New Sub-Traits Unlocked.

◎ Sub-Trait: Sole Evaluator

◎ Details:

Anyone who has failed to receive a promotion from you will continue to be considered your examinee.

◎ Sub-Trait: No Pain, No Gain

◎ Details:

Every time a selected candidate fails a promotion, a stack is accumulated.

When they finally pass, their abilities are enhanced in proportion to the accumulated stacks.

One thing I could say with absolute confidence—I wasn’t blocking Hyunwoo’s promotion out of spite.

It was for his own good.