Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy Chapter 102

Posted by IPPO, ? Views, Released on May 21, 2024

CH.102 I’m Also Taking That Class (1)

After the last weekend of the final vacation week.

The second semester has finally begun.

I grabbed the theory books for the classes I’d be taking today, and headed to the academy in high spirits.

Monday, the first day of school.

The academy was bustling with students since early morning.

“Appraising ungraded items! Ask for pricing!”

“Hello, this is the tea ceremony circle ‘Malt Tea Leaf.’ If anyone is interested…”

“Take this survey and get a gift certificate…!!”

“Anyone selling their spot in Yoo Eun-seol’s class! I’ll report jokes!”

The central avenue of the academy always seems busy.

With students occupying the square as if they were merchants, it was noisy whenever I passed by like this.

Plus, today some were trying to buy open spots in Yoo Eun-seol’s class.

Not even ticket scalping, but buying and selling open class spots.

It’s a type of deal I’ve never even heard of before.

With an S-grade Holder becoming an instructor at the academy, we seem to be experiencing all kinds of new things.

Among the students, Yoo Eun-seol was a hot topic.

I passed through the noisy central avenue and headed towards the Specialized Division building.

My first class this morning will be held there.

<Harvesting By-products> class was in the Specialized Division building.

“Oh right, it’s time to get new equipment again.”

Seeing the Specialized Division building reminded me of Choi Yoo-min.

Our monthly contract where she provides me with equipment.

I had received the July equipment, but hadn’t gotten the August equipment yet.

I was extremely satisfied with the July provision.

[Scorched Lizard Leather Armor].

The first Rare-grade equipment Choi Yoo-min put her heart into making served its value as my only defensive gear.

Of course, I didn’t expect to receive an item of that level for August, since she had given me Rare-grade initially just to show her gratitude.

I was simply curious how high of a level she could craft now, having produced Rare-grade items and raised [Iron-Blooded Night Field] to Superior-grade.

“She can’t possibly know how to make Epic-grade yet…”

I briefly entertained the thought, but soon shook my head with a laugh.

Blacksmiths who can make Epic-grade gear are commonly called ‘Artisans’ or ‘Masters’.

They are pro-level Holders, beyond student standards.

No matter how talented Choi Yoo-min is, making Epic-grade items already would be absurd.

Lee Hyun-ho, the prominent blacksmith character in the original story, was still just a promising student able to make Rare-grade.

It showed just how difficult the Epic-grade crafting level is.

“Hey.”

As I was thinking this and that, climbing the Specialized Division building stairs.

I heard someone call me from behind.

At first I didn’t know they were calling me, so I ignored it, but they patted my shoulder so I had no choice but to turn around.

Behind me was…

A handsome man looking at me.

What the, this dude looks like a playboy.

I want to look past stereotypes, but his appearance alone would likely cause resentment from other guys.

“Is this the Specialized Division B building?”

“…Who are you?”

Why’s he speaking so casually?

The playboy made an oh crap face and spoke.

“Ah, sorry. You’re Do Jae-hyun, right? From the Assassin Division.”

“You know me?”

“Of course. You’re one of the famous freshmen these days. The super fast promoted student who went from Lower class to upper class! The hero who stopped the safe zone during the end of semester evaluations! There’s no one who doesn’t know you.”

“Oh….”

So that’s how I’m seen among the students nowadays.

I may not have gotten much major attention in the Holder world, but I had made quite a lot of noise at the academy.

Starting with how I earned a class promotion with Park Jin-woo during the entrance exams, when we were ‘the only two to get promoted’.

Not long after, I fought against the monster that appeared inside the academy.

After that, I steadily showed good grades in Intermediate class and proved I had what it took to jump up to upper class again, doing so at the end of semester evaluations.

I also stopped Ha Do-kwon’s rampage during those end of semester evaluations.

‘Definitely an exclusive disciple.’

It wasn’t officially announced, but the fact I was the exclusive disciple of Professor Tak Won-ho and Professor Kim Myeong-hyun likely spread among students as a rumor.

The two professors, known as experts among the few at the academy.

Just the fact of being their exclusive disciple.

Already made me one of the promising students receiving attention.

“So who are you?”

When I narrowed my eyes and asked, the playboy smiled again.

“Ah, sorry sorry. I have no composure. I’m Kim Do-yoon, a freshman from the Warrior Division.”

“Kim…Do-yoon?”

“Yeah. Oh, come to think of it, we might have some classes together. I’m in the upper class like you.”

The rest of his words didn’t register in my ears.

My thoughts went ‘he’s my classmate’ before naturally trying to respond, but…

Because I froze the moment I heard the name ‘Kim Do-yoon’.

Warrior Division freshman, Kim Do-yoon.

And the playboy has a look that has likely attracted a good number of girls.

That familiar name and traits carved into my brain.

And pulled out memories hidden inside.

‘…He’s a villain.’

Kim Do-yoon, a member of the academy <Villain> branch.

He was a spy who had infiltrated as a Warrior class freshman.

I looked at the guy smiling with a nice face.

‘Running into this punk already.’

Unlike Ji Yoon-jae and Ha Do-kwon, who are notable newcomers and are second in their ranks, Kim Do-yoon is a spy who is out of the rank and works normally.

So, in the beginning, he goes to the academy quietly, but from the middle, he shows off his presence.

His biggest feature is, as I said before, a handsome face.

Because of his good-looking appearance, he tends to attract a lot of attention from women, and Kim Do-yoon is well aware of that fact.

… So it’s an advantage.

It is used as an inducement factor for one’s crime.

Kim Do-yoon was a psychopath who would suit up with women who had a crush on him, then kill them when he lost interest.

His victims are only women.

It does not discriminate between ordinary people and Holders.

All the women who fell for his tricks suffered crimes such as kidnapping, confinement, and assault, and eventually died brutally when they reached the end.

With such a worst criminal hiding his other side.

He was looking at me with a kind smile.

“What’s the matter? What’s going on?”

Kim Do-yoon asked, seeing me suddenly stop talking.

I shook my head and replied.

“This is the Special Division B building.”

“Isn’t it? It’s my first time coming to the Special Division building, so I’m confused. haha.”

“F*ck. It’s clearly written on the building sign, but you can’t see it.”

“… what?”

Kim Do-yoon asked as if he had heard it wrong.

His face was taken aback by my sudden swear words.

I said to him, holding the cell phone in my pocket.

“Oh sorry. I got a text message from a friend. He is a fool who always needs to be trained. He always gets confused about the building, so he asks me. He’s not even a monster who can’t read Korean, so why is he confused? haha.”

“…”

Kim Do-yoon suddenly had a worried expression on his face.

Ignoring him, I calmly thought.

The <Villain> branch members at my academy don’t just move carelessly.

They’re a group of psychos who enjoy killing people foolishly, but they have a clear hierarchy, especially the academy branch members who move precisely according to commands.

Naturally, it wasn’t just a coincidence that Kim Do-yoon was speaking to me.

There had to be a clear reason.

In the first place, there was no reason for a crazy guy who only targeted and killed women to act friendly towards another guy.

‘Are they being wary of me after the Ha Do-kwon incident?’

The <Villain> spies are being cautious of me.

The most immediate reason I could think of was the Ha Do-kwon incident.

At the time, I had stopped Ha Do-kwon from committing murder using my [Declaration of Domination] skill, and later charged in during his duel, blocking his attack.

If not for the ‘Berserk Potion’, Ha Do-kwon would have been subdued by me then and there.

A sudden, unnoticed obstruction that completely disrupted their plans.

My abrupt appearance and interference with the <Villain>’s schemes was likely cause for wariness from the spies.

“I’m going to classroom 302. Where are you headed?”

Looking like he regained his composure, Kim Do-yoon spoke to me again.

Classroom 302.

Where the <Harvesting By-products> class I’m going is being held.

In other words, my class and Kim Do-yoon’s class overlapped.

It was an unexpected situation.

‘How annoying.’

Did Kim Do-yoon originally take <Harvesting By-products> in 2nd semester?

There was no way to know.

Since Kim Do-yoon was a character who only emerged in the mid-to-late parts of the story.

“I’m going to 302 as well. I’m taking <Harvesting By-products> too.”

“Oh! That works out. I’m taking that class too. Let’s go together.”

“F*ck, this sucks.”

“…….”

Kim Do-yoon’s expression rapidly darkened.

He didn’t even have the leisure to ask me to repeat myself, realizing I had just cursed at him.

Of course, I shamelessly held up my phone.

“Ah, really sorry. My friend is bothering me nonstop. I was complaining how there’s this punk starting conversations with me for no reason on the first day back.”

No response from Kim Do-yoon.

I felt his gaze boring holes into me.

…Is this punk really pissed now?

His eyes are rather murderous.

Despite trying to hide it, I could feel subtle killing intent thanks to [Ice-Cold Focus].

I lightly fueled that fire.

“Guys who look like playboys really do talk too much.”

“…….”

“Let’s go, Do-yoon. It’s good we’re in the same class. Follow me since I know the Specialized Division building well.”

I patted Kim Do-yoon’s shoulder a couple times and started walking.

Was I going too far?

I thought, and that’s spot on.