Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Just This Once (4)
"How is America?"
"A country of barbarians."
That was the immediate response to my question.
Magic Shin Clan.
The magically talented Shin Yura born from that Clan spoke more coldly than usual.
"It's a country so barbaric that it's hard to believe they're the same humans as us. I can't understand why the principal wants to match with them."
"…?"
I tilted my head in confusion for a moment.
In this world, too, America was the number one country.
It was not as tremendous a country as it was in my first life, though.
Because no country could win if it fought against the whole world like America.
But it was still a tremendous country.
Because it has a similar status as that of America.
What's with Shin Yura's reaction to such a country?
"Do you know anything about America?"
"A country that became the world's number one superpower by luck."
"…?"
"How is it not luck that such barbarians became the world's number one superpower by sheer chance? There might be other factors, but fundamentally, it's luck. The gods that best suited their country descended upon them, and they enjoyed their ordeal."
It was Nam Hyerin's answer.
"Are you talking about America?"
"Yes, if you know something, say it."
"It's a funny country. When it rains, people run up to those with umbrellas, snatch them away, and break them while asking if they're gay."
"…?"
"People are hugely mistaken about it, but the United States is a country that worships machismo. Those bastards aren't human. They're just beasts."
That was Wi Gunak's answer.
Whether it was the students or the teacher, they all agreed.
Barbaric.
The fact that we're the same species is embarrassingly nonsensical. That's what they were saying.
"Do you know anything about America?"
"…Well, I know everything except what I don't."
"But the kids' reactions were weird."
"Well, that's inevitable. America is quite an odd country."
Still.
Yoo Eunchae added, saying,
"It's probably right to say it's the country most prone to corruption, yet doesn't become corrupt."
It was a rather meaningful answer.
We headed to America.
By plane, that is.
America.
A land unknown. Information about it was extremely scarce.
A city of science had developed, and with magic integrated into it, the scientific technology of this world became tremendous.
But information was particularly scarce about America.
The place where, as Insect Dragon King said, the Celestial Gods reside.
And the place called the Holy Empire.
The Holy Empire Academy is a place comparable to our academy.
That was about all I know.
The problem is, as part of the exchange event, we will be staying there for about a month.
'It feels like a sports day event held four times in a row.'
No, there was something more accurate than that.
'It would be better to call it the Greatest Martial Arts Tournament, Prospects Edition…'
It felt utterly dreadful.
Perhaps it was because I have no fond memories of places like the Greatest Martial Arts Tournament. My face involuntarily frowns.
Why spend an entire month on an exchange event?
The problem was that I will be quite busy during that time.
'There's a lot to check.'
The exchange event was quite important.
It had a significant impact on grade, but more importantly,It was a battlefield with extremely high global attention.
It was an opportunity to assess the so-called prospects.
The promising ones active here all invariably became outstanding heroes.
Here, those who show remarkable performance can change the first digit of their salary and add an extra 0.
Next year, there's talk of becoming a promising candidate that the guild will invest a tremendous amount of capital in.
So, the students are on fire.
"Mmm… Mmm… Sir Han Seojin, doing this here…"
"…"
Yoo Eunchae might be talking in her strange sleep.
"Sister… Since you lost to me again today… you have to be my foot mat for a day… Mmm…"
"Eek!"
Nam Hyerin is saying something strange.
"Hu, huhu… Princess… Now our grand dream…"
"Master… now you understand my greatness…? Master, praise me quickly…"
"I am… the goddess of darkness…"
"I alone… only I…"
Are these guys doing this on purpose?
It was a perfectly reasonable suspicion.
[Ladies and gentlemen, did you have a comfortable journey? Our plane has arrived at the Holy Empire Airport. Please remain seated until the seatbelt sign is turned off after the plane stops. When opening the overhead bin, please be careful as items inside may fall.]
While I was lost in thought, the plane had arrived.
Snap.
I flicked my fingers to use telekinesis magic.
"Argh!"
"Eek!"
"Thud!"
After gently waking the kids up, I went outside.
Once outside, I could already feel a lot of presence.
"The treatment for S-class is definitely different. To come here on a private jet alone."
Heo Yeji was looking at me with sparkling eyes.
"S-class?"
"I'm talking about Head Professor Han Seojin's class. Only those who rank within the top 10 by grades can enter the S-class, or so the rumor goes among the students."
"Well, I must be quite something."
No need to make a big fuss about it.
We joined the other students and went outside.
"Ah, put this in your ear."
"What is it?"
"It's an automatic translator. I think… the person we're meeting might not be wearing one."
"…?"
Following Heo Yeji's words, I put the translator in my ear.
'I know English, though.'
It would still be convenient to have.
"But aren't you wearing one?"
"…I feel like I'd definitely get into a fight if I did. Hehe…"
Get into a fight?
Why?
But why give me, the head professor, a translator only?
'This one isn't normal either.'
Puzzled by her strange comment, I hesitated momentarily but then went outside.
So, as I was going outside, I saw them.
Students with bulging muscles.
"…?"
No, can a woman have such bulging muscles? Her forearms are thicker than my thighs?
While I was seriously pondering the human body's mysteries, a man approached me.
Over 2 meters tall, with a shaved head.
And a man with blue eyes and bronze skin came towards us.
He was flaunting his muscles, which seemed to burst out of his uniform.
At first glance, his presence was different.
Thud, thud.
High Realm.
A man who has stepped into a realm where someone could call him superior.
He approached me and extended his hand.
Is he offering a handshake?
I took his hand.
"As I've heard, impressive. Is this really the strength one has at just 20?"
"You flatter me."
"Oh, can you speak English?"
I can.
During my first life as a professional gamer, I was taking English lessons that cost 5 million won a month.
'That instructor was an incompetent person.'
But I was talented and improved rapidly.
"You're not bad yourself, huh?"
"Ha, to think you have such flimsy muscles, yet you have a good eye! You think they're good muscles, too, right?"
The man boasted, flexing his forearm muscles.
What's with this guy?
Is he looking for a fight?
"Ha, haha! Oh, I think he means no harm!"
"Hmm, are you the younger sibling of that Raging Thunder?"
"…Should I kill this guy?"
Heo Yeji suddenly said.
Her eyes were filled with murderous intent. How much does she love her sister?
"Anyway, welcome to our country! I am the instructor managing you while you are here."
"We can manage ourselves, you know?"
"Heh, but didn't you feel it as soon as you saw me?"
Is this guy seriously rattling on about the situation now?
"How can students maintain such frail bodies before reaching the realm?! Muscles, muscles are what's needed to reach the higher realms, don't you know, weakling!?"
Weakling?
…Could it be that he's talking about me?
As I looked on with a dumbfounded expression, the surroundings buzzed.
"Has he gone mad? Daring to provoke a demon?"
"Will he die? Or win?"
"Wouldn't he die? Or not. No matter how reckless the teacher is… This is America."
"Professor Han Seojin has decided to become a death god with me. I'll kill him."
"I'll bet on this for the killing."
"Seon Woohyeon? Are you seriously betting that orb with that trait?"
"Yes. I'm betting on the teacher killing that guy."
"Would our teacher really kill someone just because they're annoying? I'm betting on getting beaten to a pulp right before death."
"…?"
"What's with that reaction? Don't tell me you didn't know about my intuition?"
"No!"
"…It's okay. I'm used to it. If it's not the master, they usually don't catch on."
"You jerk! I'm betting on this getting beaten to a pulp right before death…"
These bastards.
My disciples were betting on whether I would kill someone or not.
"Such a pity. You're not recognized by your disciples. To think they have such little faith."
He patted my shoulder as if to sympathize with me.
This bastard.
"But what are you betting on that's causing such a fuss?"
"It's none of your business."
"Hmm, is that so."
Having said that, the man looked at us.
"Then we should start moving. We won't arrive on time if we linger here too long."
"Is it that far?"
I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
If we came here by plane, isn't the Holy Empire Academy just a 2-hour bus ride away?
'The schedule starts in the evening?'
It's 12:21 now, and dinner is at 7, so roughly 6 hours are left until evening.
"What are you talking about?"
"Professor Han Seojin, what are you discussing?"
"Can't you understand English? Put on a translator."
"Hehe, ah, I only understood the part about the Raging Thunder earlier…"
"…"
These guys don't have mouth filters on.
'I can understand.'
These guys have a knack for irritating people.
If someone as patient as me got annoyed, it wouldn't be strange for those less mentally disciplined to pick a fight.
No, that's settled.
I must have misunderstood.
No matter how much, could it be that I haven't fully mastered the language from three lifetimes ago?
'Is the translator broken?'
I tilted my head in confusion as if saying there was no bus.
We went outside.
Only a desolate space welcomed us.
"…?"
"But, isn't there a bus?"
"These fucking bastards…"
Shin Yura shivered with anger.
So did the others.
"…I've only heard about it, but they really act like this?"
"Those who know nothing but English. In a world where science has advanced, just focusing on physical training…."
"They're really making us run instead of taking the bus? Do these bastards not know about efficiency?"
Other students also showed their anger.
…Could it be?
Suddenly, a sense of déjà vu flowed.
When I first asked about the country called America, I called it a barbaric nation.
Was that what it meant?
What made me certain was the man's words.
"Come on, let's hurry, Weakling. We must run diligently to arrive at the Holy Empire Academy before 7 o'clock!"
These barbarians.
And the one running at the front more passionately than anyone,
You're doomed if you fall into my hands.
"…Is that what you call it? How could you send that ignorant Michael as an instructor to welcome the academy students!?"
"But Michael was the only instructor available…"
"Oh, dear God."
In the principal's office of the Holy Empire Academy.
There, the principal was tearing his hair out in worry.
This exchange between the Sacred Empire Academy and Korea's academy is significant.
Because he had to overcome the image built by the former principal when he got humiliated by the Korean Academy's principal after boasting, 'Why tremble in fear of that small eastern country? I, the Perfect Hero of America, will handle this….'
'These ignorant fools…!'
How much effort had he put in until now.
Built 100 years ago, yet never renovated, so much so that they had to accommodate Academy students hundreds of kilometers away.
On top of that, he didn't even bring a car, let alone a plane. It wasn't once or twice that he made the Academy students go through survival.
The main culprit who extended the exchange match to a month.
That instructor was Michael.
From the principal's standpoint, it would be right to fire Michael.
But the problematic instructor happened to be a hero of a higher rank.
The problem was that he had the support of many students.
'I need to hurry.'
The principal quickly went outside. He ran to the vicinity of the airport, boarding the buses he had arranged in advance.
And there, he saw it.
More than he had imagined.
"How could this happen! Instructor Michael's neck has stretched out like that!"
"Instructor Michael was knocked down in one hit?"
"Professor Han Seojin, that rude bastard, just kill him!"
"Oh, my God."
A situation that had turned into a much bigger mess.
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