Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy

Chapter 14 Two Masters (2)

Kang Juyeon inspected her artifact. A sparkling emerald ring that fit perfectly on her index finger. It was a rare artifact that augmented magic power and greatly increased spellcasting speed. While direct battle specialists would usually wear armor, magic users like Kang Juyeon preferred using artifacts like this ring and robes. Among various battle artifacts for mages such as wands, spellbooks, and bracelets, her favorite was this ring adorned with a green gem.

<Item Information>

◎ Name: Wisdom Ring

◎ Type: Ring

◎ Grade: Rare

◎ Maker: –

–

◎ Special Effects: –

: Magic Power +3

: Enables more efficient utilization of magic power, significantly reducing spellcasting time.

◎ Detailed Information: An emerald ring containing the light of wisdom, exuding a clear, enduring radiance.

A rare-grade ring known to be difficult to acquire.

Kang Juyeon, a B-grade Holder, gained it easily due to her influential family, but it could fetch prices ranging from hundreds of millions to tens of billions of won. Ordinary Holders could only dream of possessing such an artifact.

‘…It looks good,’ she thought to herself. Thankfully, there were no signs of any damage or wear. Even though she had exerted all her power and channeled magic, she had only used it for one fire spell, so it remained intact.

Kang Juyeon recalled yesterday’s incident with the monster. A monster that appeared at the academy, breaking through the [Magic Barrier]. However, such issues were not her main concern. It only possessed abilities equivalent to an E-grade Holder, and a fellow student Holder recklessly charged at the B-grade monster. The sight of that student’s back, as they fearlessly confronted the formidable opponent lingered in her mind.

She had finally memorized the name ‘Do Jae-hyun’, a first-year student from the intermediate class, an assassin-type Holder. He displayed an extraordinary talent in yesterday’s battle, engaging the monster in a close duel with a sword.

An unparalleled Holder, leaving a fresh impression on Kang Juyeon. She had never seen such uniqueness in any other Holder before. The hidden gem her father, Kang Woo-hyun, had mentioned. If such a thing truly existed… she couldn’t help but wonder if he might be the one.

“Hey… Thanks,” Kang Juyeon was lost in her thoughts when a woman’s voice interrupted her. The woman had a strikingly beautiful appearance and trendy style, making her one of the three most eye-catching girls in the first-year class….It was Kim Chae-eun. They were preparing for the same lecture titled <The History and Information of Monsters> held in the intermediate class.

“I couldn’t greet you properly yesterday due to the chaotic situation… I really wanted to say thanks for helping. Thanks to you, we survived,” Chae-eun said appreciatively.

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“….”

As a result of the intervention of Kang Juyeon and Moon Ga-eun, the bloody battle with the monster yesterday was easily ended. Also, a lot of students were injured and some died in the incident, and if it continued, Kim Chae-eun could also be at risk. Their unintentional actions saved lives.

Kang Juyeon nodded slightly in response. She didn’t pay much attention to it, as Holders were responsible for their own capabilities, and she didn’t help expecting any gratitude. It was just something that had to be done. There was no reason for her fellow classmate to lower her head in front of her.

However, Chae-eun continued, taking it a step further. “Our Jae-hyun was in a really dangerous situation before you arrived… If it weren’t for you, he might have been in trouble. Thank you so much.”

“…..?”

Our Jae-hyun? For some reason, the term felt unsettling to Kang Juyeon. Although she knew that Kim Chae-eun was frequently seen with Do Jae-hyun and had no particular reason to care, for some reason, it bothered her.

“….”

And a question emerged in her mind: What did this girl want to talk to her about?

A faint trace of annoyance crept into Kang Juyeon’s previously emotionless gaze.

***

ippotranslations

***

“……”

I was called to a professor’s office. As I had expected, it was exactly as I thought. The monster that Park Jin-woo and Kang Juyeon were supposed to defeat… the subject of the hunt had changed slightly. Kim Chae-eun and I had tried to delay the monster as much as possible, while Kang Juyeon and Moon Ga-eun finished it off. Park Jin-woo was not present at the scene. I had taken his place, and I had become a key figure in the unfolding events.

“Nice to meet you. I am Professor Tak Won-ho, specializing in warrior-type Holders.”

“Hello. I am Do Jae-hyun, a first-year student in the intermediate class.”

I shook hands lightly with Professor Tak Won-ho. However, his gaze as he looked at me seemed subtly brighter.

“You played a significant role in dealing with the monster.”

“No, not really. The combined attack of Kang Juyeon, an upper class Holder, and Moon Ga-eun was crucial. I merely bought them some time until those two arrived.”

“How many warrior-type Holders in the first-year upper class do you think would have been able to buy that time?”

…Is he complimenting me?

Professor Tak Won-ho always spoke in this manner. His pragmatic and cynical nature made his compliments feel somewhat sarcastic. He used honorifics diligently, but it always felt like he was looking down on the person he was praising.

Kim Myeong-hyun, the professor who used honorifics consistently and respected everyone, was the complete opposite, both in personality and in swordsmanship.

“I have a few questions to ask you about the monster.”

“Tell me.”

Professor Tak Won-ho scratched his chin once and continued.

“The B-grade monster, Sizzling Salamander, appeared yesterday. Can you tell me anything unusual about it? You might have discovered some things while you faced it directly, beyond the general information about regular monsters.”

“Do you mean its appearance, or its abilities?”

“Its abilities.”

“Well..”

The Sizzling Salamander is a B-grade monster with relatively well-known information. As you can see from the [Fiery Flame] rune, it is a fire-type monster that can manipulate fire, and considering the other two runes, it has all the characteristics typical of lizard-type monsters. It has the feeling of a typical Sizzling Salamander that Holders are familiar with.

But there was one thing different. It was something I knew from the original work, and it was also a fact that I experienced and felt.

“Its strength was abnormally high”.

“It’s strength?”

“Yes. Usually, Sizzling Salamanders and other lizard-type monsters are known for their agility. Creatures like the Poisonous Iguana have related runes as well.”

“Hmm.”

“However, the Sizzling Salamander had significantly greater strength. Because of that, during the fight, I realized that the strength gap was too large for the opponent to handle.”

Professor Tak Won-ho stroked his chin again, deep in thought. It seemed like he was contemplating something.

He was probably thinking of the connection between the ‘underground dungeon in the academy’ and the ‘Sizzling Salamander’ that appeared. The one I had found during my night patrol, which only Professor Tak Won-ho knew about. The entrance of the dungeon was filled with lizard-type C-grade monsters, consisting of Lizardmen. There seemed to be some connection between what I experienced and his thoughts.

“Other than that, were there any other notable characteristics?”

“No. From my experience, that’s all I could tell.”

“I see…”

So, is the next step not to conquer the dungeon? One could suggest that, but it wasn’t that simple. The Tak family, who ran the academy, had not only Professor Tak Won-ho but also… Many other successors and numerous disciples. They each had their own factions within the family and kept each other in check to secure a better position within the family. Declaring the existence of the underground dungeon and announcing plans to conquer it could lead to other factions within the Taks attempting to seize the credit for themselves. Professor Tak Won-ho’s cautious approach was to prevent such a mud fight.

Moreover, besides the underground dungeon, the collapse of the [Magic Barrier] within the academy was the work of another faction… It was a complex situation with many overlapping events.

“Oh, by the way, I heard that you used a sword instead of a dagger when facing the monster.”

After organizing his thoughts a bit, Professor Tak Won-ho brought up the subject.

“Yes. Although I’m an assassin-type Holder, I also have a sword rune. I used the sword because it felt more comfortable when facing that creature.”

A Multi-Holder that uses both [Sword] and a [Dagger]

In the Holder world, it wasn’t uncommon for Multi-Holders to handle two or more weapons. As I replied, Professor Tak Won-ho’s brow was slightly furrowed.

“You have a sword rune, but why didn’t you sign up for my class?”

In swordsmanship, especially when it came to using a sword, Professor Tak Won-ho was considered the strongest, and everyone acknowledged his skill. It seemed he felt slightly offended that I, an assassin-type Holder, didn’t sign up for his class.

But I felt unjustly accused.

“Well… You restricted your class to only warrior-type Holders.”

How could I sign up if I wasn’t allowed to?

I wanted to attend his class, too.

Professor Tak Won-ho’s destructive and aggressive swordsmanship. A flashy yet overwhelming style. But as an assassin-type Holder, I was simply unable to apply.

Then Professor Tak Won-ho flashed a mischievous smile.

“Ha, haha. Is that so? I didn’t think about Multi-Holders. My apologies. I’ll tell my assistant to open up a spot for you through the adjustment request. Will that be alright?”

I was quite surprised by his proposal, widening my eyes.

Professor Tak Won-ho’s classes were always full. As a well-regarded and popular professor, there was not a single spot available through adjustment requests.

Even upper class warriors couldn’t get into the class due to lack of space. To allow an assassin-type Holder like me in was special treatment.

Perhaps my fighting against the B-grade monster, despite my insufficient abilities, left quite an impression. It was somewhat similar to the way Kim Myeong-hyun, the professor who favored my swordsmanship, saw me.

‘I want to.’

This wasn’t an opportunity that came easily. It was a chance to further develop my [Sword] and climb higher as a Holder. It was a shortcut to advance even further.

I wanted to say yes right away. However, there was one dilemma.

‘I already agreed to be Professor Kim Myeong-hyun’s exclusive disciple…’

It hadn’t been more than a few hours since I accepted his proposal. Being Professor Kim Myeong-hyun’s exclusive disciple meant officially starting to learn his swordsmanship. Attending Professor Tak Won-ho’s class, who was Kim Myeong-hyun’s exact opposite, would be an insult to Kim Myeong-hyun.

I hesitated for a moment, but I quickly made up my mind.