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Griffin Scans
Translator – Hero of death
Proofreader – Sleepyhead
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Chapter 3 - I'm not afraid
There’s no need to panic. First, let’s think calmly.
Samchil clearly said there was a way out of this situation.
The person most likely connected to that solution seemed to be the instructor.
But despite having witnessed the fight, he said nothing.
He didn’t tell us to stop, didn’t ask why it happened, not even what it was about.
He had no intention of getting involved.
As I racked my brain…
"That’s all for today."
Class ended.
No solution came to mind.
When no answer comes no matter how much I think about it from all angles, I always resort to one method:
Head-on breakthrough.
"And now, we’ll have individual consultations in order of academic ranking. Yu Jihoon, come with me."
The instructor, who had seemed indifferent, reached out a hand of salvation. This was definitely a helping hand.
"Sir, may I stop by the restroom first? I’ll come find you in your office."
At my answer, a flicker of amusement sparkled in his eyes.
"Alright then."
The reason I didn’t take his extended hand wasn’t pride. It’s because I didn’t think this situation would be resolved just by being clever.
A consultation with the instructor.
Honestly, what could that really change?
What about afterward?
There’d still be no solution.
I never intended to ask the instructor for help in the first place. If I were going to do that, I wouldn’t have acted in the first place.
I planned to solve this myself.
I had already made up my mind.
As soon as the instructor left—
"Come here, you little bastard!"
Park Jongpal erupted like he’d been waiting for it.
"Don’t act like a child."
At my words, the classroom went cold.
Everyone stared at me with wide eyes.
They were probably wondering what kind of confidence I had to provoke him like that.
"What?"
Park Jongpal’s already fierce expression twisted further. His face was reddening, looking about ready to explode.
"You…”
Not like this—let’s do it properly.
In the academy, an official “duel” meant something different from an ordinary fight.
As long as you didn’t kill, it was a place where even violent intent was legally allowed.
A perfect setting for my grave, considering my reputation across the entire school.
"You’re full of crap."
So of course my suggestion seemed suspicious. He strode toward me.
"What? Afraid of a fair fight?"
I provoked him further.
If we fought right now, I’d lose 100 out of 100 times.
He sneered coldly. That was good for me. I provoked him again.
"Don’t act like a kid. Let’s fight fair and square."
"This punk, you’re really pushing it!"
His eyes rolled back. He’d lost his reason.
Maybe this method wouldn’t work after all?
His fist pulled back.
I readied my stance to take the incoming blow—
That’s when a loud, refreshing laugh echoed through the room.
"Hahaha! Jongpal this is getting fun! Hahaha! What was your entrance rank again?"
As expected, it was Kim Wootae.
I hadn’t expected the instructor to save me—I was counting on Kim Wootae.
That’s why I pushed Park Jongpal harder to draw Wootae in.
"500th."
"Hahaha, so the bottom-ranked cadet is from our class? This is great. Then it’s settled.
You’ll have a duel."
"Sure."
"I’m fine with it, but I don’t know about Park here."
With one word from Kim Wootae, Park Jongpal immediately backed down.
"...Fine."
But he kept glaring at me.
Selective rage, a trait that only blooms against someone weaker.
To handle people like him, the best move is to aim for the master who holds the leash.
"I’ll schedule it."
"Bullshit, let’s do it right now."
Park Jongpal’s eyes burned at my words.
Of course he’d want to settle this immediately.
"But we don’t even have our weapons yet."
We hadn’t been issued our primary weapons yet.
Park looked to Kim Wootae, who smiled kindly and said,
"Just don’t delay past this week."
"Fine."
And with that, the situation was defused.
Honestly, there was no way I could close the power gap within the week.
But if I could get a weapon that suited me well, the results might be very different.
I had Samchil with me, too. And in a fight, the strongest doesn’t always win.
The only option I have is to find a way to win—no matter what.
This is the best I could do for now.
—-----
—--
<Instructor Kim Hoon-woon’s Office>
I didn’t even know his name. It was just for a moment.
My mind had been elsewhere, so I hadn’t even heard his name properly.
Knock knock
“Come in.”
When I opened the door, a room resembling a small study came into view.
“Hello.”
“Have a seat.”
I sat down across from him, with just a desk between us.
“Are you going to be okay?”
From his tone, it sounded like he already knew what was going on.
This probably wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.
“This is not a playground. You have to take responsibility for what happens here yourself.”
What he meant was clear.
He wasn’t going to help me.
His words weren’t out of concern or worry.
Enduring, withstanding, winning—those were all strategies.
Only those who survived by any means necessary had the right to become Hunters.
He wasn’t wrong. Not even a little.
If I couldn’t even get through this much, I wasn’t cut out to be a real Hunter.
At the Academy, it was okay to give up. But Hunters couldn’t do that.
For Hunters, giving up meant death.
“Which are you?”
His question was about how I intended to survive. And he probably already had a good read on me.
All I had was my talent. No background, no money—so of course I had to endure and survive.
But I chose a different way.
“Of cource, I’m going to win.”
“Good. I’ll at least cheer you on.”
<Your determination has strengthened.>
<Your future is changing.>
<Your old blanket has been upgraded to a microfiber winter blanket.>
“...”
The future’s changes were unexpectedly detailed.
“Now, shall we have a real talk”.
What followed was a proper consultation.
We discussed about my basic skills, my main weapon, what strategies I was best at, and what kind of tactics I knew—fundamental info.
“Alright, take care.”
As I stepped out of the room after the consultation, I was met by an entirely unexpected person.
“Why did you do that?”
It was Lee Junghoon—the one who had been bullied by Park Jongpal.
—-------Lee Jong Hoon's P.OV—-----------
I was angry. I didn’t even know why—just that it burned in my chest like it always did.
Three years.
For Three long humiliating years. From the moment I stepped into that so-called prestigious middle Hunter school to the day I graduated, I was nothing but a punching bag. Ignored. Mocked. Bullied. Looked down on.
Why? Because I was easy.
Because my background made me the perfect target.
That’s what they’d say, like it excused everything. Like it justified why I never fought back.
But deep down, I knew the real reason.
It was what I said that first day, in front of everyone. The moment I opened my mouth and told the class I was going to be the No. 1 Hunter in the world.
They hated that.
They couldn’t stand the idea that someone like me—a nobody, someone they thought was weak—could dream so big.
Kim Wootae had smirked at me and said, “You want to be No. 1 Hunter on the planet? Then you better work hard.”
That was the moment it all began. The endless torment. The sneers. The fights I never started but always had to take.
Still, I endured.
I held on. I kept that dream alive, no matter how much it hurt.
And then today... someone new showed up.
Some kid I’d never seen before. Didn’t know the unspoken rules. Didn’t know who was who.
And right in front of everyone, he challenged the entire damn school.
—---------P.O.V End—--------
“Why did you do that?”
Yu jihoon tilted his head at Lee Junghoon, not knowing anything.
And Junghoon, without knowing why, just started venting.
“Do you even know who Park Jongpal is?”
Even to his own ears, his words sounded sharp.
“You think I held back because I was weak? You nobody—what do you even know? You know what’ll happen to you? No matter what you do, you’ll never beat Park Jongpal.”
“No. I’m planning to win.”
A face with zero fear.
That ignorance felt pathetic and frustrating.
“You think you’ll win? You’re ranked 250th.”
“I know. If we fight right now, I’ll lose. But if I prepare properly—I might win at least once.”
“Hah! What nonsense is that?”
“So, what is it you're trying to say?”
Yu jihoon's question left Junghoon speechless.
‘Why did I follow this guy here?’
As silence fell for a moment, Yu Jihoon continued.
“I know Park Jongpal has Kim Wootae backing him.”
“So don’t worry—not for your sake. I just couldn’t sleep soundly, that’s all.”
“Worry? No. I just thought it was pathetic.”
His mouth moved on its own. Maybe it was just a bunch of pointless words.
Junghoon continued firing off.
“I don’t plan to help you. You acted like you were helping me, but I never asked for it.”
“It doesn’t matter. I plan to handle it myself.”
Listening to what he was saying only made Junghoon angrier.
He had endured. Put up with it. Not because he lacked courage or willpower, but because there was no other choice.
‘Handle it yourself? Don’t make me laugh. You think I’ve held back all this time for nothing? Try going through it yourself. Then you’ll come to your senses—though it’ll be too late by then. So, do whatever you want’
Junghoon thought to himself and laughed.
As soon as Lee Junghoon finished speaking, he turned away sharply.
Only after Yu Ji-hoon disappeared from his view did he begin to understand his own emotions.
He realized that what had really angered him was that Yu Ji-hoon seemed to take lightly the issue that had weighed on him for so long, a problem he’d agonized over but never solved.
Crushed by their strength and unable to resist even a little, Yu Ji-hoon’s help only made him feel more pathetic.
The more worthless he felt, the more irritated he became.
The instructor had told him—holding on and enduring was also a strategy. He had been doing just fine.
Then he heard Yu Ji-hoon’s voice from behind.
"Hey!!"
“Fuck you!!”
Lee Junghoon didn’t even look back and simply raised his middle finger.
Even so, he felt small and petty.
He had lashed out at the first person to help him in three years. While he hadn’t dared to say a single word to the bastards who tormented him.
He felt even more pathetic.
Yu jihoon quietly watched Lee Junghoon’s back as it slowly disappeared.
He didn’t even thank me—in fact, he threw hurtful words instead—but I didn’t mind.
Because what I was trying to protect wasn’t him, but my own sense of justice.
So instead, I felt a little sorry.
The more I stepped in, the smaller Lee Junghoon would feel.
Still, if something like this happens again, I’ll step in just the same.
Because I can’t stand just watching that kind of thing.
A clean single-room dorm with a bed, desk, and wardrobe—this was my room.
After returning to the dorm, I suddenly remembered my first conversation with Samchil.
He had said that thanks to our connection, his future had changed, and now he had a semi-basement room and even a front door he liked.
Hard to believe, but that’s my future 20 years from now.
“.....”
I plopped down on the bed.
Talking to Samchil still feels like a dream.
Sitting still, I tried to gather my thoughts. It seemed the connection had cut off because I ran out of usage time.
Based on yesterday’s conversation with Samchil, one thing was clear—We can change the predetermined future.
The changes happening now affect Samchil’s daily life 20 years in the future.
Just by talking with me, his career changed to a sales job, his home became a semi-basement room, and earlier, even his blanket thickened just from my determination.
We’ve been given
three years. How much can I change in that time?
I don’t know. This was something I never expected.
I don’t know how much the great current called fate will bind me, or how much small changes can alter the course of my life.
But even knowing that wouldn’t change anything.
Even if the end is a cramped room… I would still walk my own path.
At 17, I had nothing to fear.
~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter End~~~~~~~~~~~
