CH.109 Change and Contrast (5)
Ji Yoon-jae, the assassin who rides a dragon.Â
He was the 2nd rank assassin in 1st grade, a skilled individual who had the second most influence in the <Villain> Academy branch after Cha Soo-yeon.Â
His true self emerges during…
The ‘Academy Annihilation Operation’ by the <Villain> clan in the late stages of the story.
Led by Cha Soo-yeon and Ji Yoon-jae, the Academy branch members bring together all the traps and spies they had set up, and begin a full-scale invasion of the Academy.Â
It was the first large-scale invasion for <Villain> since the ‘Holder Association Invasion Operation’ that happened a few years ago. Â
Believing that deleting the Academies would expand their sphere of activity, they carried out the invasion.
‘They killed countless students there.’
Ji Yoon-jae stands out in this operation.
Like his nickname the assassin who rides a dragon, he brings a monster looking like a dragon and indiscriminately murders students.Â
Showing at least A-grade Holder power, he became a top priority target for the Academy along with Cha Soo-yeon, the ruler of gravity.
And that Ji Yoon-jae was right in front of me.
To join the circle <Anti-Villain> that I made.
‘I’ve struck the right nerve.’
I didn’t know someone of Ji Yoon-jae’s caliber would come, but I had expected someone from <Villain> to show up.
An aggressive circle researching and confronting <Villain>.Â
There’s no way the stakeholders wouldn’t be interested in such a circle.
Especially a psycho like Cha Soo-yeon would have given a stronger order to infiltrate for sure.
To join <Anti-Villain> no matter what.
While imagining such in my head…
I grasped Ji Yoon-jae’s hand with a bright smile.
“Nice to meet you too. Ji Yoon-jae… You were 2nd rank in the assassin department, right?”
“Hey, that was my admission rank. I dropped to 3rd place starting the 2nd semester.” Â
Ji Yoon-jae smiled and waved his hand.
The semester grades change every semester.
Based on theory and practical grades each semester, evaluations by professors in each department, and final evaluation grades at the end of each semester, the ranks change combining various evaluation factors within the Academy.
By the way, my rank just went up to upper class.
The actual ranking didn’t go up much.
Considering my growth and change, I should be in a higher rank, but because my demonstrated abilities so far are seen as distant from the ‘assassin’ department.
If I were in the warrior department, I might have made it to 2nd place.
“Anyway, you want to join my circle?”
I immediately brought up the main topic, taking the lead.
The intention behind Ji Yoon-jae’s continued fake smiles were obvious.
To check my true motives with small talk.Â
My real intention for suddenly creating <Anti-Villain>.
That’s what he’d be curious about.
In that case, I shouldn’t give him time to think.
“Ah… yeah. It looked like an interesting circle to make.”
“Interesting circle?”
“Yeah. A circle trying to stand up to a giant clan like <Villain> with just Academy students… isn’t that interesting?”
There was a subtle condescending tone in his words.
I snorted out a laugh at that.
Is he trying to join or trying to mock me?
I shrugged and replied.
“Well, I didn’t make the circle to be interesting. Our circle is serious, and there’s no reason to fear even if the opponent is a huge organization. There are a lot of safety measures. And rather than sit back and get hit like last time, it’s much better to make the first move, right?”
“…Like last time?”
“Yeah. You saw it too, right? The Ha Do-kwon incident.” Â
At the pointed words striking their weak spot, Ji Yoon-jae flinched for a moment.
The Ha Do-kwon incident was one of the failures of the <Villain> Academy branch.
Not only did they fail to ‘randomly murder students’ as planned from the beginning, they ended up exposing that Ha Doo-kwon was affiliated with <Villain> by using the ‘Berserk Potion’ as well.
Ji Yoon-jae awkwardly laughed at the mention of their disgrace.
“Haha… Was that incident concluded to be <Villain>’s doing?”
“Is there any need to conclude or not? Anyone who uses Berserk Potions is from <Villain>. Who else would do that kind of trashy thing while using prohibited items?”
“…..”
At my suddenly aggressive words, Ji Yoon-jae’s expression hardened.
Bastard…
Can’t even control his expression.
But I have to do this.
If by some chance he was exposed as a spy now…
Without a doubt, he would become the number one target to eliminate.
Also, the current Ji Yoon-jae likely doesn’t have the power he had in the original story.
‘No dragon, right?’
Ji Yoon-jae, the assassin who rides a dragon.
Sorry to say, but he likely won’t gain that title ever.
Because the item that allowed him to gain the related runes, [Forgotten Dragon Stone].Â
‘Is now in my hands.’
Without a dragon, and not yet in the late stages, Ji Yoon-jae might be easier to subdue than I thought.
‘Same goes for Cha Soo-yeon.’
Cha Soo-yeon, who has infiltrated the Academy as a professor, is no exception.
No matter how strong she is, she can’t rampage like in the original at this point in time.
The reason is simple.
Yoo Eun-seol, one of only five S-grade Holders in the country.
Because she’s at the Academy and positioned as my firm backing.
‘She probably infiltrated deeply because of Yoo Eun-seol… but because of her, she can’t move easily now.’
While the <Villain>s’ radius of activity has expanded, they absolutely can’t move rashly in the current situation.
There was a reason I recklessly created <Anti-Villain> despite the risks.
It was a circle established after considering all these circumstances.
“Anyway, you came to apply, right? Did you bring the application?”
I grinned and spoke to Ji Yoon-jae.
Ji Yoon-jae froze for a moment before managing his expression again and taking out some papers from his chest.
“…Yeah, here.”
“Okay.”
A normal, plain application without any particular issues.
I briefly looked it over before putting it away.
“As you know, we’re a new circle. There are still many areas not yet systematic, and we need to recruit 15 new members so we need more. I’ll contact you once all the mandatory members are fulfilled, so let’s meet again at the first meeting.”
The rules, plans, vision of the circle.
Normally I would tell him about these contents, but Ji Yoon-jae didn’t look curious at all about them.
Obviously.
He wasn’t here to actually apply in the first place.
To grasp the level of <Anti-Villain> and explore it, and ultimately directly join and monitor how they operate.
That was his intention for coming.
His already completed application form was proof of this.
“Will you really get 15 members?”
As I put away the application and started getting up, Ji Yoon-jae suddenly asked.
The intention behind the question was obvious.
I snorted and replied,
“Of course. We already have about 10 members.”Â
“Wha, ten already?”
“Yeah. As you know, there are so many people with grudges against <Villain>.”
It was a lie to confuse him, but he falls for it so easily.
Moron.
You’re the first, Ji Yoon-jae.
I inwardly mocked him and reached out my hand again.
“Let’s do well. I feel more secure to have a strong 1st year like you joined.”
“…Yeah.”
Drawing a core member of <Villain> into the <Anti-Villain> circle.
It was an action that could carry risks, but used well, I could keep the spy confined and monitored internally.
Ji Yoon-jae’s recruitment into the circle…
I would have to watch closely what results it brings.
***
Ippotranslation
***
After the 2nd semester at the Academy began.
I had much less time to see my friends.
Obviously, because I’m too busy.
Along with the 6 classes I take for the semester courses, I also have dedicated classes with 3 professors.
Professor Yoo Eun-seol on Tuesdays, Professor Tak Won-ho on Wednesdays, and Professor Kim Myeong-hyun on Thursdays.
Just having lessons from these three masters takes up half the week.
On top of that, personal errands like managing dungeons, and even establishing a new circle called <Anti-Villain>.
Also, not a single friend took overlapping classes with me except for Moon Ga-eun.
So these days, I could only find time to meet up on weekends.
“…It feels busier than during my internship.”
As expected.
Kang Juyeon, who I met up with after a long time, said this as well.
If Kang Juyeon says, ‘It’s hard to even see your face.’, it really puts into perspective how busy I am these days.
“Sorry, sorry. There’s just so much to prepare for since the new semester started.”
At my light apology, Kang Juyeon’s eyes widened slightly.
“Making a new circle…?”
“Ah, yes. And dedicated classes and stuff like that too. Trying to do so many things at once, my hands and feet are a bit short.”
The <Anti-Villain> announcement went out 2 days ago.
Of course, my friends already knew about it.
Kim Chae-eun declared she would join right away, but recruitment wavered because Professor Kim Myeong-hyun was the circle’s professor in charge.
Moon Ga-eun also subtly showed a desire to join, and I hadn’t discussed it with Park Jin-woo yet.
And…
“…I want to join too.”
I knew this talk would come from Kang Juyeon as well.
Well, this is quite troubling.
Although I personally made changes as a contingency plan, I can’t obstruct the growth of the core characters.
Kang Juyeon has to join <Flame Dance>.Â
She has to join there and meet ‘Yoon Ji-a’ to grow…
If I recruited Kang Juyeon into <Anti-Villain> for immediate gain, I could end up blocking her path of growth.
“Juyeon. Like I said before, a clan that would be a little more helpful to you…”
Just as I tried to persuade her again.
Boowoong-Â Â
My phone rang with a text.
[010-xxx…] Hello. I’m Yoon Ji-a, 3rd year in the mage department. I’m contacting you after seeing the notice…
The text perfectly resolves the current situation.
Weren’t lessons with Yoo Eun-seol every day?