Isn’t it truly remarkable? Just by watching a single recording from the crystal orb, my mind and body have settled so completely.
…Could it be that some unknown force is at work here?
Suddenly, the words I heard earlier in the chief instructor’s room come to mind.
“We always trust the Clan Lord.”
Only now do those words start to resonate with me, even if just a little.
A moment later, I raised both hands and slapped my cheeks hard.
Smack!
The sharp sound of flesh meeting flesh was followed by a warm flush spreading across my face. I hit myself so hard that it wasn’t just a tingling sensation—it was almost intoxicating.
Still, the effect was undeniable. Like a fog slowly lifting, the chaos in my mind began to clear.
With a much clearer head, I calmly started to sort through my thoughts.
It’s true—I was deeply shaken by the unexpected first encounter with Jegal Haesol. And when I checked the user information, that shock only intensified.
But it wasn’t just that. From the development of his signature transport magic during the first run to the fierce magical duels in the open field, even those alone spoke volumes.
Yes. Unlike user Gong Chanho, Jegal Haesol proved his uniqueness.
Maybe that’s why.
Why Jegal Haesol was the way he was before, how special he is now, and how terrifyingly powerful he might become in the future.
After Jegal Haesol slipped beyond my reach, I feared his inevitable growth. Haunted by the ghosts of the first run, I unconsciously imagined the worst-case scenario. In short, I didn’t think I could handle it.
But now, thinking it over, that was just needless worry. Or at least, it was premature.
Because this isn’t the first run anymore.
Starting fresh in the second run, many things have changed. As I saw in the crystal orb recording, I’m no longer alone. I have users who trust me and follow me—the Mercenary Clan members. More than fifty of them, in fact.
Meanwhile, Jegal Haesol has only just entered the whole plane.
Granted, his user information is impressive. His skills are proven, and his potential is enormous.
But for now, at least for the time being, he’s still manageable.
In other words, it all comes down to whether I can take him in or not.
Whether I choose to save him or kill him.
As always.
Why did I make it so complicated when it’s really that simple?
Now that things have come to this, the story changes completely.
First, I regret trying to kill Jegal Haesol without a second thought. I’ve thought about it before—killing isn’t always the answer. Especially since Yoo Hyun-ah, to whom Jegal Haesol once pledged loyalty in the first run, is now dead.
In fact, this could be an opportunity. A rare, clear-cut chance.
I don’t know who Jegal Haesol will side with next. The possibilities are endless.
But if there’s even the slightest chance I can bring him under my wing?
If I can, that would be the ultimate move. His user information speaks for itself, and despite receiving hundreds of recruitment offers before his death, he never accepted any. That alone is worth noting.
Of course, thinking about Jegal Haesol doesn’t let me imagine only a rosy future. I have to consider the opposite, too.
What if I fail to recruit him?
Honestly, from our first meeting, I felt something strange. His bold attitude for a trainee, that bright smile as if he knew something I didn’t. It was like he was just out of reach—always on the verge of disappearing.
Even the way he spoke.
“It’s late at night. And unless it’s the life instructor, wouldn’t it be strange for the training instructor to bring trainees out this late?”
The more I looked, the more I thought it was subtle. Almost as if he believed he could choose the clan he wanted to work with.
But whatever his intentions, it doesn’t really matter. I might feel a little sorry, but I believe the choice isn’t his—it’s mine.
Anyway, the most important thing is to keep in mind that Jegal Haesol might not come to me.
If that happens, the situation gets a bit tricky, but I’m confident. Killing a rookie who just entered the whole plane without a trace is a piece of cake. Well, if it’s Jegal Haesol, it might be more like a lukewarm porridge.
Anyway, having sorted my thoughts, I stretched as hard as I could and looked up at the sky. It was still clear and blue.
Watching the sky drift by, a sudden, silly laugh escaped me.
I probably felt like a fool for worrying all weekend.
As Shin Jaeryong told me, this afternoon’s schedule included mental training. Not just for a select few, but for all trainees with magical talent.
That meant Jegal Haesol would be attending my class today.
“Sigh.”
“Big brother, go on in! Show them what you’re made of today, too!”
As I caught my breath, Ansol trotted up and opened the classroom door for me. Judging by her fierce glare, she was pretty angry that the trainees had poked fun at me.
I smiled lightly at Ansol and calmly stepped inside.
The classroom was very quiet. There was an unspoken tension in the air. Looking around, I saw about two hundred trainees watching me with tightly sealed lips. And there, by the window to my immediate left, sat Jegal Haesol.
While everyone else was tense, he alone wore a calm expression. Then, suddenly, he caught my eye, mouthed “Hello,” and gave a slight bow. When I kept looking at him steadily, he quietly smiled and waved his hand.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at Jegal Haesol.
Honestly, I still don’t know what he’s thinking. But I’m not about to reach for my sword like last time. He seems to have a strong observational streak, and I only need one mistake from him.
If I can’t read him, then I’ll make sure he can’t read me.
Leaving Jegal Haesol’s striking gaze behind, I walked to the podium in the center.
“Nice to meet you all. I’m Kim Suhyun, your mental training instructor today. …Well, some of you might not be so happy to see me.”
As I said that, I noticed about twenty trainees avoiding my gaze. They were the ones I had disciplined last time. Swallowing hard and squeezing their eyes shut, their faces clearly said, “We’re screwed.”
Normally, I would have started with a scolding, but not this time. Their current attitude was decent enough. Sure, poking fun at me was insolent, but it was just a minor act of rebellion.
More importantly, I wasn’t going to be a pawn in the other instructors’ plans to undermine me during this recruitment war.
So I spoke quietly.
“That said, I want to express my sincere regret over the last disciplinary incident.”
The trainees’ eyes snapped open, a flicker of hope lighting their faces.
“Actually, I was asked by the other instructors to take this class. There have been many complaints lately about the attitude of the magic talent trainees. Since they couldn’t control you, they asked me to give you a good scolding.”
That way, I could shift some blame onto the other instructors.
“But personally, I believe you get treated according to how much effort you put in and how you behave. And today, your attitude is excellent. Honestly, I don’t expect this much. I just want you to respect us as much as we respect you. That’s not too much to ask, is it?”
Many trainees nodded in agreement.
Among them, one young man caught my eye. A trainee with the secret class of Soul Commander. The cocky attitude he showed last time was gone; today, he sat tucked away in a corner, looking thoroughly intimidated.
He was sitting far from the others who took the class with him last time… Could he be getting bullied because of that incident?
I clicked my tongue silently and continued calmly. It was time to stop soothing and start the real training.
“Let’s begin. You’ve probably heard this many times before: we instructors are not here to send you home.”
The trainees looked at me, some a little dazed. It might sound cliché, but it was an important message.
“The whole plane isn’t a game. It’s a reality where you have only one life, and if you die, it’s over. After graduating from the User Academy, you’ll be active in this world of the whole plane indefinitely. You might even spend your entire life here.”
When I said “entire life,” some faces darkened with despair. Finally, they were taking it seriously.
“The mortality rate for users in this world is extremely high. It’s nothing like a rite of passage. The moment you leave the User Academy and step into any city outside, no one can guarantee your survival. That means your protected period is only about four weeks.”
“…….”
“Sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it?”
“…….”
“Unfortunately, it’s true. Even as I stand here before you, someone, somewhere, might be dying.”
“……”
The trainees remained silent. They just stared at me intently or glanced at each other. Well, no matter how adaptable they were, since they hadn’t yet experienced this world, some difference in perception was inevitable.
I decided to shift the topic a bit.
“So, the number of new recruits this time was around 400, or was it 500?”
A few tired “yes” responses came back.
“What that means is this: from the end of the last User Academy until this one was reactivated, roughly that many people were either killed or declared unfit for duty. And you’re here as their replacements.”
“…Instructor? What do you mean by ‘unfit for duty’?”
At that moment, someone quietly raised her hand and asked. Her voice was a bit husky but clear enough to tell she was a female trainee.
I looked toward the question.
“Exactly as you said. It’s still just a hypothesis, but being declared unfit for duty means you’re not dead, but you’ve lost your function as a user.”
“Lost… function?”
“Yes. You’ll understand once you go on expeditions. The moment you step outside the city, you’ll face all kinds of attackers. There are monsters that blindly try to kill you, monsters with high intelligence, and even other users… Ah, those are called vagrants.”
“Yes, yes, I’ve heard about that.”
“I see. Anyway, this means that the enemies I mentioned earlier might not always be trying to kill you outright. They could have other motives.”
“Other… motives? I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand.”
Hearing that, I crossed my arms and pursed my lips. I had tried to put it as gently as possible. For a moment, I wondered if I should say this at all, but I decided it was better to be honest. After all, mental training is about facing these harsh realities.
“Hmm. This might sound cruel, but let me give you a blunt example. The purpose is actually simple. Men often become prey on the spot because they’re not very useful. But for women, it’s a completely different story. To put it plainly, since women have the ability to conceive, intelligent monsters sometimes don’t kill them immediately.”
“Conceive… you mean pregnancy? Are you saying it’s possible to carry a monster’s child?”
“Yes. That’s right. To be blunt, it means becoming a host or livestock. They live out their lives as breeding stock for the monsters. …That’s what being declared unfit for duty means. In a way, being born female can be considered a curse.”
“Th-That can’t be…!”
The words suddenly stopped. I couldn’t hear clear sentences after that, but small gasps and murmurs broke out here and there. It seemed many hadn’t heard this before, or maybe they just couldn’t believe it.
The murmurs grew louder, so I slammed my fist on the desk to quiet the room. The trainees immediately fell silent and fixed their eyes on me.
Then, looking around at them, I spoke softly.
“For your reference, what I just said is based on my own experience.”
The noise died down completely.
After the grim mental training ended.
“Big brother, you did well.”
As soon as I stepped out of the classroom, Ansol followed, holding out a towel and a drink. I stared at both for a moment, then took only the drink. Had I just gotten off the ring?
“Hmm. That wraps up this afternoon’s schedule. Now, what’s next… let me see.”
As I tilted my head in thought, Ansol cleared her throat cutely and straightened her back. Then, as if putting on glasses, she began flipping through some notes. Seems she’s really into playing secretary these days.
I took a sip of the drink and spoke.
“Why are you staring at an empty schedule? There’s nothing next.”
“No, there is.”
“?”
“Going to find a user named Ansol and hang out with her… Waaah! Don’t hit me!”
Ansol screamed and ran off. I tried to grab her for a playful smack, but she noticed and escaped. Maybe all the times I’ve hit her have made her quick on the uptake.
As she scampered away, she suddenly stopped, peeked back, and looked at me with a question mark over her head—as if asking why I wasn’t following. After a few playful scoldings, I was about to turn away when—
“Um~ Instructor Kim Suhyun~?”
A sweet voice called out, stopping me. Glancing over, I saw someone clutching a stack of records to her chest.
It was none other than Jegal Haesol.
She smiled warmly at me.
Thinking she had a lovely smile, I quietly replied.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. But what can I do for you? The training’s over.”
Just then, I felt someone press close to my side. I heard heavy breathing—it was Ansol running back.
Jegal Haesol glanced down at Ansol briefly, then tilted her head slightly toward me. Her hair swayed softly in that direction.
Finally, she spoke.
“Yes. But I’m really curious about something… May I ask you a few questions?”
“Of course. Questions about the training are always welcome.”
“Umm~ Well, it’s not really about the training.”
“Oh? Then what is it?”
“More like… personal questions. Hehe. Actually, about that night…”
“Th-That night?”
Ansol flinched and grabbed my waist tightly. I pressed the top of her head gently, signaling her to stay calm, then shook my head slowly.
“In that case, I must decline. Personal questions aren’t allowed.”
“Oh my, you’re so cold.”
She seemed to have changed her mind, speaking more smoothly than before.
…Honestly, I was a complete mess back then. I couldn’t say a word in front of Jegal Haesol and just stammered.
But not anymore. Jegal Haesol was no longer a figure of fear—she was a big, juicy target.
“I find that surprising. You should know that part better than anyone… Oh, and I’ll be patrolling that area regularly from now on, so it’s best if you don’t sneak around there at night anymore.”
“…Hmm. That’s a shame.”
She let out a low hum.
After a moment, the smile that had filled her face slowly faded. She narrowed her eyes and studied me from every angle, as if observing me carefully. I smiled faintly under her gaze.
“It’s useless. Your ability is certainly powerful, but it only shows what’s visible.”
“…Only what’s visible? What do you mean?”
Her voice was much quieter than before.
I shrugged.
“Well, it means you shouldn’t use it recklessly. There are users who can resist, and you might end up on the losing side. Ha ha ha… Ah, I’m rambling. Anyway, if you have no questions about the training, I’ll be going.”
Just as I turned to leave—
“Wait a moment.”
At that instant, I felt a cool, gentle touch on my hand.
Jegal Haesol had taken my hand.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Hello~ This is Royujin, back as of today. :)
I really shouldn’t skip even a single day of writing. Just three days off, and it already feels so awkward. Ha ha ha.
Thank you so much to all the readers who waited. I wanted to post by midnight, but time didn’t allow it, so I started writing as soon as I got home. ㅜ.ㅠ
Still, those three days were truly meaningful. I thought a lot about Memorize and managed to organize many things. I plan to finish this User Academy part quickly and then show you everything step by step as the story progresses. Originally, I was thinking of about 8 to 10 more chapters, but I’ve cut it down to six. I guess I just want to get to the next part faster. :D
Anyway, thanks again to everyone who waited. From today, I’ll be working hard again.
Thank you. (__)