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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Lesson 3. This Is Your Pet - 1
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The very moment he was dragged into the secret room, Ban Yu-won unleashed a dung beetle impression that surpassed even the one he'd seen from Luchel earlier.
A desperate survival technique to protect his head and heart somehow, even in a sudden ambush!
"You can look straight at me. My true body isn't here."
But the principal's voice, flying right in front of his face, instantly broke his stance.
Ban Yu-won cautiously lifted his head and peered ahead.
A doll sat on the desk, utterly devoid of any hint of life.
Yes, this pathetic scarecrow doll was sitting there of its own accord.
And the voice had come from the doll too.
...Though its mouth hadn't moved at all.
"Principal... no, Chancellor?"
"Ban Yu-won, I permit you to call me Master."
With that tone, he sounded less like an ordinary Master and more like some Dark Flame Master.
Suppressing the urge to tackle him, Ban Yu-won nodded.
"Understood, Master."
"Then I should explain why I summoned you."
"Ah, yes."
"Normally, I don't interfere in students' growth."
A roundabout way of speaking, as expected until the main point.
But since it was the principal, Ban Yu-won had anticipated as much and listened quietly.
"Whether they're weak or strong, I leave them be. I don't care if they die in the tower or survive to claim power and glory."
Then why are you chancellor?
The answer came without needing to ask.
"My sole purpose is to witness with my own eyes those who reach the tower's pinnacle. All else—weak or strong, ugly or beautiful, evil or good—are worthless."
At that, Ban Yu-won couldn't help but ask.
"The tower... what is it?"
Ban Yu-won was convinced it was Earth's Babel Tower, the building owned by the Ban family, descendants of its progenitors.
He'd even heard from his grandfather that reclaiming Babel Tower would restore the family's full power and glory.
It was half-engraved in his mind, and though he hadn't fully believed it, the moment he faced the tower, he resolved to risk his life climbing it.
But to the chancellor? And to the other students, what was Babel Tower?
"The tower is the path to godhood and a trial. That's why I don't meddle in students' ordeals."
The chancellor replied curtly.
Strangely, hearing this, Ban Yu-won felt a sense of of course.
From the progenitor stories, they wielded near-divine powers.
And Earth's Babel Tower was here in this incomprehensible dimension.
If a divine throne awaited at its peak, it made perfect sense...
"But."
If that had been the end of it, there'd have been no reason to summon Ban Yu-won.
"This time, I've decided to make an exception."
"Uh..."
"Because I see potential in you. The greatest I've ever seen."
The doll on the desk floated into the air, meeting Ban Yu-won's eyes.
"A frail body, yet a remarkably resilient spirit. It reveals your boundless potential."
"..."
"But that imbalance between body and spirit will provoke others in harmful ways. Left as is, interference is sure to come before you bloom. I couldn't stand by."
The doll extended a hand toward the pendant around Ban Yu-won's neck, causing it to vibrate faintly.
Soon, changes rippled through the strings of letters inside the pendant.
Though he didn't fully understand it yet, Ban Yu-won silently observed everything, etching it into his mind.
How much time passed? When the pendant finally stilled, the chancellor spoke.
"This isn't aid for climbing the tower. Just a minor measure to prepare you."
"What is it?"
"I've granted you permission to explore external dungeons."
"External? Outside the academy?"
"Indeed."
This world, home to Union Academy, was riddled with dungeons.
Caves teeming with monsters and traps, sustained by dungeon cores—much like the one from his practical exam.
There were countless such places, but their difficulty was low enough that students rarely bothered; the chancellor occasionally sent forces to clear them en masse or used them for new students' practicals.
"I've added a function to your student ID for exploring external dungeons and teleporting there. Use the time before entering the tower to hone your skills."
"Ah...!"
Only then did Ban Yu-won realize the immense consideration the chancellor had shown him.
Despite his great potential, he was still a drag on his classmates.
The chancellor had enabled him to grow by tackling low-level external dungeons before the tower.
"Of course, external dungeons aren't always easy or safe. Guard your own safety."
"I wouldn't dream of expecting that much."
Ban Yu-won had no intention of swinging at a scarecrow, and external dungeons were generally easier than the tower anyway.
Perfect for his current level.
"Chant the spell to teleport to a dungeon, and chant it again after exploring to return here."
"Ah..."
It felt familiar somehow.
Except...
"The spell is 'Drown in infinite darkness.' Remember it."
This spell was even more messed up than Professor Yumina's!
"Now go, Ban Yu-won. Press on without stopping."
"Thank you, Master."
He couldn't bring himself to ask to change the spell, so he bowed and retreated.
As he did, the chancellor added one more thing.
"Impressive results will unlock the next permission."
"Next permission?"
"Solo tower exploration."
Ban Yu-won snapped his head up at the unexpected words.
"Until next time."
But in that instant, the chancellor issued a dismissal, and Ban Yu-won was flung out of the room as if someone had yanked his head back hard.
He didn't hit the floor rolling, though—something soft and fragrant caught him from behind.
"How was your meeting with the principal?"
"Professor?!"
Ban Yu-won startled away from Yumina.
But Yumina seemed unfazed.
"He always sends guests packing like that. Quirky personality."
"Sorry."
"I was waiting to catch you from the start."
She grinned mischievously, teasing whether serious or not, then glanced at the pendant on his chest. Her eyes sparkled in surprise.
"The principal has high hopes for you too, huh? An external access pass."
"He said to explore external dungeons and build up my lacking skills quickly."
"Smart approach. But be extremely careful. Outside the academy is beyond our watch."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Oh, right."
She clapped as if suddenly remembering.
"If you have time after dungeon exploring, check out the outer city. Wouldn't hurt."
"Oh."
"Academy food and drinks—cafeteria or shops—are bland and repetitive. No alcohol either. Can you believe they don't sell booze?"
Ban Yu-won could guess what she wanted.
"Want me to bring some back? Only if there's a shop I can walk to near the dungeon..."
"Thanks! Mind if I ask?"
She'd jumped at his offhand remark and chanted a spell in alien tongue.
"Priests at the Temple of the Spring God still brew fruit wine for fasting periods themselves. Among them, Honeymoon from Ronica's temple is famous for its fantastical fruit aroma, rich foam, and sticky yet refreshing aftertaste. If you go to Ronica, could you grab just two bottles?"
With that, she pulled something from her pocket, strode up, and pinned it to his chest.
Dazed by her sudden floral approach and retreat, Ban Yu-won refocused to see it was a gem brooch carved like vibrant petals.
"Wear this, and they'll hand over the booze no questions asked. Grab some snacks too while you're at it. This'll cover everything."
Yumina winked at him.
It wasn't hard to see that, following the chancellor, she was showing him excessive favor.
"Thank you. I'll be off then."
"Don't stay out too late."
She beamed at him expectantly.
He planned to head out right away anyway.
One problem: the spell.
"Infinite..."
"Infinite?"
"In, in..."
"In-in?"
Unable to overcome the shame, Ban Yu-won muttered inwardly while cursing the chancellor.
But as he mustered courage to speak it aloud, he realized his surroundings had changed.
A dungeon.
'It worked silently too?!'
Mixed relief at avoiding embarrassment before the professor and fury at the chancellor's trick left him flustered when something tapped his shoulder.
It was the Dokkaebi Bangmangi, which had been meek amid the intimidating presences.
"Thanks, buddy. Time to focus."
No slacking in a monster-filled dungeon.
He opened his inventory and drew a long sword with a gleaming blue edge.
⚔ ITEM ⚔
Beheader's Longsword
🗡️ Demonic Sword: 12 💀 Murder: 19 ☠️ Blood Poison: 9
A creation fusing the essences of sword concepts from trunk relics (with scraps dumped into the code core).
In simple terms, a sturdy, sharp blade infused with magic power—more lethal against humanoid foes, and inflicting poison via blood from wounds.
To Ban Yu-won, it outclassed the Dokkaebi Bangmangi from his practical exam, but artifacts of this caliber were common enough; it hardly showcased his full powers.
'Armor too.'
Few defensive relics from Grandfather.
But plenty of talismans blocking harm for their bearer; he'd extracted and infused their concepts into his uniform.
Boosting its defense beyond most armor.
"Let's go!"
His second raid, stepping forward confidently.
Whoosh—the Dokkaebi Bangmangi menacingly sliced the air, escorting him.
Then arrows shot from the distant corridor, swarming him!
"Wait, this isn't what I imagined?!"
Ban Yu-won dodged frantically as the Dokkaebi Bangmangi spun wildly, batting arrows aside.
"Humans!"
"Weak human... how long since?!"
The emerging monsters were goblins, like in his practical.
But unblinded, and all wielding crude bows and arrows!
A dungeon starting with cowardly ranged attacks? For Ban Yu-won, eager to test his all-night sword training with his sister, it was a total buzzkill.
"Shoot!"
"Weak human, no shield! Dinner's human skewers tonight!"
The goblins jeered, nocking arrows.
But assuming he'd entered relying on one sword? Big mistake.
"Bangmangi."
He knew his greatest weapon was this miraculous treasure, the Dokkaebi Bangmangi.
Those two Earth days were training for himself—and exhaustive research maximizing its potential.
"Transform."
Ban Yu-won commanded.
The floating Dokkaebi Bangmangi compressed into a sphere, then morphed into a familiar firearm for any Korean vet.
Precisely, a magic gun—or ghostly gun.
"Commence firing!"
—Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
At his order, the no-longer-bangmangi unleashed dozens of magic bullets at the goblins.
The transformation concept, harvested from dismantling slime toys with family aid, shone here!