-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: The Heaven Class Challenger
-----------------------------------------------------------------
(Hello?)
"Hello? Young master, it's me. The staff member who got scared and ran off after that unfortunate incident the other day."
(Y-You!)
"Now, now, please calm down first. Having worked at Academia for nine years, my instincts are sharper than a hundred units. I took care of the scavenger you sent through my 'connections.'"
Not that I have any.
If I did, I'd have left Academia long ago to work at a guild with those connections.
Anyway, judging by the trembling voice, it seems the info I posted online has spread.
I'd anticipated that and secretly asked my team members in our department to spread the rumors.
"No responsibility on your end, so no burden, right~"
If the rumors hadn't spread enough, I could always spread them myself, so it wasn't a big difference.
(So, you're saying I can take this as a declaration of war against the Avalon Guild?)
"No, not at all. I'd never dream of it. How dare I challenge the Avalon Guild? Besides, it's just rumors right now. If I return to Academia safely and deny everything, it's over. So why don't we both pretend it never happened and quietly move on?"
(Ugh! W-What do you want as compensation? Money?)
"No, I don't need anything. Really. I know my place. So please just think of me as a roadside pebble again. On top of that, I'll even help boost your image by saying you forgave the scared me."
Right. If I go back to Academia like this and say I fled out of fear but he found me and forgave me, it'll paint him as the magnanimous one instead.
With the smokescreen of rumors already up, the reversal would definitely bring him benefits.
(…Ugh! F-Fine, got it.)
"Oh, and one more thing. I've already reported everything to the Avalon Guild Master, so you'd better not get any funny ideas later. I'll call you when I'm back."
(W-Wait! What do you mean....)
People end up paying a price one way or another.
And this is how I survive.
Yeah, in the end, only a father thinks of his son, so I contacted the Avalon Guild Master first to wrap up negotiations.
Unlike Jang Yunseong, the father was the responsible leader of a guild and had commanded major raids, so he quickly grasped my intent and agreed to negotiate.
'My son's reckless act threatened your life, but you're offering to resolve it cleanly. I'm grateful. I'd like to offer some token of appreciation. Anything you want?'
'No. I'm just thankful for your mercy. I know my place.'
'I'd rather call you a wise friend.'
Too kind. Everyone learns to compromise like this when the time comes.
Anyway, everything was settled. Now I just needed to time my return to Academia, and it'd be done.
Before heading back, I packed up my campsite and gear.
"That's it. And my status...."
[Lv.15 Yoo Seongwon]
Status Growth: 21/21/21/21
Str: 616 / Dex: 612 / Vit: 616 / Mag: 588
[Owned Skills]
Path of the Great Knight (SSS)
(Unique) Myeong's Knight Grandel's Martial Talent
(Unique) Spirit Knight 'Silleion Forest Blade' Secret Art
(Unique) KMG TECH Master Device
[Applied Effects]
Divine Beast's Power (All stats +1 rank (2x))
"I leveled up to the max for an F-rank dungeon… A+ rank stats… My god."
Dungeons had level caps per rank, no matter how many monsters you killed.
You couldn't go beyond Lv.15 in an F-rank dungeon.
To keep leveling, you'd need an E-rank one, but even before that, these stats were insanely high.
"No wonder legendary items are legendary, and unique skills are unique~"
It was easy to see why they fetched tens of billions or were state-managed.
At just Lv.15 with A-rank stats, if word got out, not only the three major guilds but the nation itself would scramble to restrain me.
'As long as I return without issues, that's all that matters.'
Yeah, it was complicated and annoying, but in the end, I made it back to my position without conflict.
Oh, one scavenger sacrificed, but a guy in that line of work must've been prepared to die.
"Saw that, huh? Whoever turned me into an awakener must be sweating bullets."
Or maybe the weirdo who sent that strange text was nuts from the start and is laughing now.
Thus, my little adventure—my minor rebellion—came to an end here.
***
The next day, at Academia.
Coordinating my schedule was a breeze.
Before other guilds could act against Jang Yunseong due to the spreading rumors, I'd asked to resolve it quickly. So the moment I returned, I reported as pre-planned.
"I see. Good that you've cleared the air, but we can't overlook the unauthorized absence."
"Of course. I'll accept the penalty. At least I'm alive, right? Then I'll get back to work."
And just like that, everything returned to normal.
My statement cleared all suspicions about Jang Yunseong. Following the script, I even thanked him for saving my life, flipping the situation around.
Sure, questions lingered about the exposé I posted online, but in modern society, unreliable 'hearsay' is a dime a dozen—it'd blow over soon.
"Team Leader, you must've been through hell... Just rest more."
"It's finals season; can't slack off. I've already missed days, so I need to work harder."
Brushing off my subordinate's concern, I dove into work with more enthusiasm than ever.
Back as a staffer, able to live moderately again, I tackled tasks more proactively than usual.
It was Academia's finals prep period—dungeon setups and tons of work, perfect for immersion.
'Must be the stats; nothing feels tough.'
"Pant~ Pant~ Wow, Team Leader, what'd you eat out there? Not a drop of sweat?"
"Yeah~ And this year's 'harmony' theme means making the gimmicks even more bullshit...."
Exactly.
The process mimicked actual dungeon creation, so our facilities team was exhausted from the harsher-than-usual workload.
But I wasn't even winded.
Obviously thanks to my stats, but the legendary item's myriad features kept my stamina endless—like waking up refreshed every morning.
"Ah~ Probably from resting a few days. Haha, gotta work harder, huh?"
I even played it cool, wondering if I should slow down to avoid suspicion.
But work was piling up.
Academia's exam period meant overtime, extra shifts, and weekend calls every year.
No wonder 'hell' got tossed around—the volume was insane.
'This year feels especially brutal, though.'
"Ugh~ Annoying! What harmony crap. Freeze to death~!"
"No helping it. Academy head's orders, so quit griping. Come on! Again. 1st phase, 2nd, 3rd, boss monster roles—let's drill it."
While construction dragged on, in the space for the exam dungeon's boss room, Heaven Class awakener kids prepped as boss monsters.
Gathering B-rank+ Heaven Class kids, they'd handle boss roles for every exam.
'Whoever thought of testing power control by having Heaven Class kids play bosses is a genius.'
Otherwise, they'd summon busy A- and S-rank hunters, wrecking facilities in the process.
B-ranks were manageable, but A-ranks were few, and S-ranks—national treasures, only 10 in Korea.
Heaven Class kids were prized too, so this exam method was probably inevitable.
"Guess they just don't want any accidents. Anyway, back to work~"
As I hustled, I kept sensing an inexplicable gaze from somewhere.
At first, I chalked it up to paranoia or stares from the Avalon incident.
But it persisted through dinner and overtime, so I got worried.
'Kids are gone home; who the hell? This ain't good.'
Had Avalon's young master not dropped revenge?
My expanded minimap showed a red dot tailing me at a distance, blinking steadily. I was uneasy, but overtime ended around 9 PM.
"Phew~ That's finals season for ya! Poor guy tailing me, waiting till now."
"Huh? Team Leader, where you off to?"
"Forgot something in the training room. I'll grab it and head out. You guys go ahead; I'll lock up."
Of course, a lie.
I headed to a secluded training room for a one-on-one with my tail—somewhere fightable discreetly.
Left the door open on purpose, checked the minimap for pursuit, then called out from inside.
"Hey! You've been tailing me all day—good job. Time to show yourself!"
"Tch! Busted, huh?"
"Student...?"
But the one who appeared was way off my guess.
A girl in a gym uniform embroidered with 'Heaven,' ponytail, shorts, bare legs.
One oddity: golden eyes.
With one leap, she closed from entrance to me, then casually chatted while staring.
"Ah~ Seriously, if you noticed, come to a spot like this sooner! Too much, right? I skipped meals chasing you, mister!"
"You're the one tailing me, saying that? So, what's a Heaven Class miss want with me? Delivering a love letter? Sorry, not into little girls—prefer tall, busty big-sis types."
For the record, that preference was honest.
Yeah, over a skinny girl like this, I much preferred elegant, queenly bombshells.
"Pfft! I prefer idols over macho dudes like you too? Straight to it: fight me! You dropped the normal act when you noticed, right? No idea why you're a staffer, but anyway—fight me, mister!"
Truth was, I'd bluffed noticing to test if Avalon sent another; worst case, kill like the scavenger and silence.
But she was Heaven Class—a B-rank+ talent guilds courted. Couldn't just kill and bury her. Tricky.