Chapter 150

Chapter 150 As usual, Jung-Wan was doing his morning rounds. But in one room, he saw something that made him stop and just stare blankly. “...” “Whew...” Within Se-Hoon’s room, Jung-Wan saw Se-Hoon perfectly balancing with only his left index and middle finger touching the bed. Even just holding that pose would be difficult, yet he was simultaneously releasing fire mana from one foot and darkness mana from the other, all while rotating his body at a steady pace. That... requires perfect balance and precise mana control. Though Se-Hoon had been severely injured multiple times, his abilities only soared upward, and at a terrifying speed at that. Observing, Jung-Wan finally nodded after a long moment. “You’re free to be discharged.” Thud! Pushing up, Se-Hoon landed on his legs and promptly bowed to Jung-Wan with a satisfied expression. “Thank you.” “There’s no need for thanks... Dean Ryu is waiting for you downstairs, so pack your things and go quickly.” “Okay.” “Oh, and take this with you.” Taking the thin file Jung-Wan handed him, Se-Hoon opened it and flipped through the contents. Analysis of the Relationship between Divine Mana and Elixirs. Within the file was an outline of a class on the production of elixirs using divine mana and how the effects would change. It included a detailed list of methods and ingredients to be used during the class as well. “Is this the class you mentioned needing help with as a temporary assistant?” asked Se-Hoon. His interest was piqued. “That’s right. I originally needed you for a different class, but since you’ve been busy lately, I postponed and ended up changing the class to this.” “Hmm...” Se-Hoon continued to review the document. Divine mana, a type discovered by the pilgrim Karl Andersen, had spread worldwide along with his Pilgrimage Church. It was a unique type of mana that was very similar to yet different from ordinary mana. And before he regressed, Se-Hoon had encountered it in many forms. This might be a good opportunity. Purified Earth has settled nicely in my body... Considering Babel and the Pilgrimage Church were forming an alliance due to recent events, it wouldn’t hurt to review divine mana beforehand. Thus, with his decision made, he placed the file into his void pocket and nodded. “I’ll review it thoroughly and get back to you soon.” “The class is next week, so take your time to think it over.” Finished with his business, Jung-Wan left the room. And once he packed his things, Se-Hoon followed suit and headed downstairs. Like Jung-Wan said, he found Eun-Ha, neatly dressed in a suit, waiting for him downstairs. Seeing her at the end of the corridor leading to the lobby, Se-Hoon walked straight up to her. “Good morning, Dean.” “...Good morning.” After nodding slightly in response, Eun-Ha resumed scrutinizing his body. Her gaze was intense, almost as if she was trying to see through his clothes. Noticing her concern, Se-Hoon smiled softly. “There’s really no need to worry; I’m not in pain anymore. Professor An also said that there’s no problem.” “...Understood.” Eun-Ha glanced toward the lobby, having somewhat eased her worries after personally examining him. “There are quite a few people gathered there. Do you think you can handle it?” “Don’t worry. Whether there are a lot of them or not, it’s all the same to me.” Seeing Se-Hoon’s confidence, Eun-Ha nodded after only a moment of hesitation. “Let’s get moving, then.” Together, they stepped into the spacious lobby, exposing themselves to the cameras of the countless reporters within. Click, click! As the genius blacksmith who succeeded in mass-producing sword aura equipment and as a hero who mitigated the damage of the Demon Force’s assault by responding swiftly, Se-Hoon was a walking news headline. Just his entrance into the lobby alone caused a commotion. Bathing in the flashes, he found himself smiling at the scene. Wow, this brings back memories. The memories of how he had held a press conference of similar intensity when his bounty was lifted to fiercely criticize the Heroes Association in public were vivid. With a renewed understanding of much of a hot topic he was, he turned to look at Eun-Ha. “Only the pre-approved reporters may step forward.” At Eun-Ha's instruction, every reporter quickly gathered, holding out their microphones. Seeing the sea of microphones, Se-Hoon confidently began. “I’ll be taking questions now.” “There are rumors that the mass-produced sword aura you succeeded in creating is the Myers family’s. Could you comment on that?” Seeing their fervor, Se-Hoon glanced at Eun-Ha. “Dean, let's leave together.” “Understood.” Quickly understanding what he meant, Eun-Ha moved beside him and lightly lifted him in her arms, her hair tips ignited in a crimson hue. Thunk! With a powerful leap, the two vanished in an instant. *** Landing on the rooftop of Borsippa’s main building, Eun-Ha set down Se-Hoon. “You did well back there.” “No, the hard work was all yours, Dean.” Tidying his disheveled hair, Se-Hoon stretched and looked over the cityscape beyond the rooftop railing. It’s almost been fully restored. The surrounding area looked so clean that it was hard to believe there had been a large-scale assault by the Demon Force not long ago. Remembering the incident, Se-Hoon felt a burst of pride upon realizing how effectively he had countered the attack. At least Babel will be clean for a while. While a few infiltrators likely remained thanks to the tenacious survival abilities of Watchers, it was impossible for them to cause another incident like the recent one. Their forces had diminished drastically, so they would likely restrain themselves out of fear of exposing their true identities. I need to keep the Demon Force from working together with Watchers. Though Watchers were already in a cooperative relationship with the Demon Force, it was merely a relationship based on mutual interest. If Watchers faced any serious problems during joint missions, they would withdraw without hesitation, meaning it was a crucial weakness he could exploit. If they ally with Watchers like before the regression, the Harbingers of Destruction could emerge even faster. The future had already started gradually diverging from what he knew, and although it wouldn’t happen overnight, it would definitely become something he was unfamiliar with. However, while controlling all the possible variables to steer things in his desired direction would be near impossible, he was certain that eliminating troublesome elements in advance was feasible. Things are going to get even busier. He made a wry smile at the thought of his unending tasks. “Lee Se-Hoon,” Eun-Ha called out. Approaching, she cautiously asked, “Wouldn't it be better to retract the interview you just did?” “Excuse me?” “In my experience, speaking so candidly often leads to troublesome events...” Understanding she was worried, Se-Hoon gave her a sly smile. “It’ll be fine. In fact, that’s exactly what I was aiming for.” If he had feigned humility and concealed his abilities, he might have raised even more suspicions. After all, successfully mass-producing sword aura, a feat considered a monumental challenge by many artisans, couldn’t be downplayed as mere luck. They probably would have suspected me of hiding something instead. If their enemies sensed he was hiding something, they would be encouraged to prepare even more thoroughly to account for all possible scenarios. Thus, Se-Hoon chose to openly present himself as a confident student, arrogant even. But like this, even if they remain cautious, they'll see me as more of a pushover. And that minor oversight could become a vulnerability to exploit during future incidents. At this point, he suddenly remembered something and asked Eun-Ha, “By the way, was I awkward at all during the interview? I tried to sound like someone else throughout the whole thing.” He had tried his best to speak with a tone reminiscent of the Three Dogs’, but if his act was seen through, it would be for nothing. Yet despite what he thought... “Was that supposed to be an act?” asked Eun-Ha, recoiling in disbelief. “What do you mean...?” “I thought you were just being yourself.” Seeing Eun-Ha blinking rapidly in surprise, Se-Hoon felt both relieved and strangely unsettled. Do I really come off as that abrasive? He knew he did speak sharply at times, but he didn’t think he was as insufferable as the Three Dogs. Vrrr- Eun-Ha’s phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket, changing the mood. Taking it out, she checked the message and looked at Se-Hoon. “Looks like they’ve arrived in the meeting room.” “Oh, let’s go down then.” Shaking off his stray thoughts, Se-Hoon entered the main building with Eun-Ha. They had much to discuss with the newly appointed lead professor of the Department of Blacksmithing, which included the direction of Meisters, the alliance of non-contracted blacksmiths that was previously run by In-Cheol. I also need to secure more funding. Wondering how he was going to persuade them, Se-Hoon entered the meeting room with Eun-Ha. “You’re late.” Standing in the room was an elderly woman wearing loose work clothes with chopsticks stuck in her hair like a hairpin. Helena, the owner of the hardware store and a former professor of the Department of Blacksmithing, had been appointed.