"...Next is the matter of the transfer student. Please look at the screen."
At a woman's words, everyone seated in the auditorium focused on the screen.
The screen showed a student with white hair and slightly tanned skin.
What was impressive was his overall aura.
It immediately made one wonder if this student should really be allowed into Victory Academy.
He exuded such a strong 'I'm a delinquent' vibe.
"Name: Baek Taeyang, Age: 20, Ability... unconfirmed, but presumed to be in the debuff category."
"What? Did I hear that wrong, Instructor Ryu? Presumed?"
The one who spoke was a bald man. His name tag read [Gate Specialist Instructor] with [Kim Seokgu] written below.
"The reason is... Cadet Baek Taeyang is an ability user with an always-active main skill."
At those words, people in the auditorium began to murmur.
Always-active abilities were not a topic to be taken lightly.
"The danger of always-active abilities is that they're difficult to control and have no precursors to activation. If one really sets their mind to it..."
Sensing what Instructor Ryu Hyemi was about to say, silence fell over the auditorium.
"Comparing a cadet who knows nothing yet to the Fat Boy Massacre seems too extreme."
Victory Academy Chairman Cheon Hae-il
When he spoke, those who had been making comparisons stopped their thoughts.
He had that kind of power.
Savior of the Era, Immortal, Closer, The Last to Appear, Great General of Heaven - he had countless titles, but people usually called him this:
Superhuman.
Everyone called Cheon Hae-il superhuman.
It wasn't because he maintained the appearance of someone in their mid-20s at the age of 132.
Nor was it because he single-handedly established Victory Academy without other investments, or that he stood above national power.
It was because of his ability - he truly became superhuman, possessing overwhelming power to part seas or shatter mountains.
In the chaotic early days of the Gates, when even the military was powerless, he appeared alone and resolved everything, earning him the title of superhuman from everyone.
"I believe we already have about five always-active ability users in our academy?"
"But this time is very different from those children."
While other instructors thought Cheon Hae-il had a point, only Ryu Hyemi shook her head.
Please look at the screen again, Ryu Hyemi said, gathering the scattered attention as she operated the remote control.
"School fights, street altercations, excessive responses to unprovoked violence, etc. Total of 62 violent incidents, and engagement with a hunter...? What's this?"
"These are actions he took before his transfer to Victory Academy was decided."
The next screen showed his assault records. Though all were recognized as self-defense, each was serious.
"First, I apologize for somewhat exaggerating the expression because Cadet Baek Taeyang seemed too difficult to handle."
"However, as you can see from this table, he clearly possesses violent tendencies."
"The only fortunate point is that he never initiated violence in any incident. The problem was his excessive responses."
With each word, Cheon Hae-il's expression became more ambiguous.
He had tried to maintain neutrality and protect the cadet, but this was a complete reversal - he's a total delinquent?
Even if it was in response to provocation, looking at the results, anyone could see Baek Taeyang as the aggressor.
"This part is particularly noteworthy. The trigger for awakening - usually, when an ordinary person awakens later in life, a dramatic catalyst is needed."
"For example, feeling a threat to one's life, or a strong desire to save a loved one on the brink of death."
"But Cadet Baek Taeyang is a case where he awakened simply, truly, just to beat up a hunter."
The gravity of the situation was conveyed clearly.
In fact, at first, they were puzzled why a transfer student was on the emergency meeting agenda.
Transfers weren't unprecedented.
It was natural for those qualified to want Victory, and sometimes they even scouted talented individuals.
Why discuss such a common matter? They briefly regretted their foolishness in underestimating Ryu Hyemi's ability.
"...Isn't this essentially a transfer in name only, but actually a remand? He's too dangerous a talent."
Ryu Hyemi couldn't refute Kim Seokgu's words.
It was true that he had moved from a detention center to the academy dormitory.
If left unchecked, there was a possibility of a Fat Boy Massacre redux.
Even Cheon Hae-il, who had been defending Baek Taeyang earlier, now had a darkened expression.
According to the briefing results, Baek Taeyang wasn't a criminal. He wasn't even a potential criminal.
He had never initiated an incident, but no one could deny the fact that he was a potential ultra-high-risk individual.
"Please look at the next screen."
As Ryu Hyemi operated the remote, the screen changed.
The video started playing from the point where Baek Taeyang was in a confrontation with an awakened person.
In the video, Baek Taeyang was fighting the awakened person without showing any signs of being overwhelmed.
This was impossible, even if the awakened person in the video was a 5th-grade awakened, the weakest.
The gap between awakened and non-awakened was insurmountable no matter what.
After a brief intense exchange, the awakened person seized an opportunity and struck Baek Taeyang's abdomen.
Normally, his stomach should have been pierced with intestines spilling out. However, realizing belatedly, the awakened person controlled their strength to prevent such an outcome.
Baek Taeyang staggered and vomited everything he had eaten. Undigested food, alcohol, and snacks came out.
With an expression of disbelief, he charged again, and as the opponent tried to catch the incoming fist to calm him down-
"He's awakened."
A black light enveloped Baek Taeyang's body.
Realizing this was awakening, the awakened person hurriedly tried to draw more power, but the fist had already struck their solar plexus.
The awakened person crashed through a building and into a parked truck, and the video ended there.
"To think he awakened just to beat someone up, and with that destructive power!"
"According to information, that hunter was an enhancement type. To be overwhelmed to that extent even with physical enhancement..."
"Then it must be a debuff type ability. Even if the ability use was delayed, the damage is too severe."
"It's natural to accept late-awakened individuals, but how to manage them is..."
Innate awakened individuals are educated in character while restricting skill use.
Until the age of 19, even if someone awakened later, it didn't matter as long as they were in an educational institution, but the problem was with awakenings after that.
Because they didn't know when or where someone might awaken, they always had to be on high alert looking for them.
This was one of the top priorities not just for Victory Academy, but for all academies worldwide.
"This is on a completely different level from the cadets we've had so far..."
"It's a concern which class to put him in."
While exchanging opinions, the instructors kept glancing at one person.
The only one who had been staring at the screen with folded arms and a stern expression since Baek Taeyang was brought up as an agenda item.
Noticing the gazes around him, he nodded, having remained silent until now.
"My class will take charge of him."
The name [Jang Ducheol] written below the black name tag that read [Training Instructor]
Just the name sounded reliable.
Though overshadowed by the superhuman Cheon Hae-il, as one of Victory Academy's strongest, he should be able to perfectly control Baek Taeyang.
"But when is Cadet Baek Taeyang coming?"
"Tomorrow."
"What?"
And we're discussing this now? Receiving such looks, Ryu Hyemi quickly explained.
"The date of the video is the day before yesterday. And we just received the case report today..."
"...Cadet Baek Taeyang suddenly lost consciousness in the detention center due to the aftermath of awakening..."
Ryu Hyemi desperately explained.
They tried to change his ragged clothes but had no time to prepare, so they laid him naked on the bed.
The data processing had just finished, and they barely managed to organize the materials in time.
She wanted to convey how many tasks they had handled in an instant.
In fact, everyone understood her, but they just watched because her flustered appearance was amusing.
+++
'I made a mistake'
Recalling the events of just yesterday, Jang Ducheol ran.
Despite seeing such physical abilities, he had underestimated Baek Taeyang too much.
'I thought he'd surely be bedridden after such an incident...'
To think he'd jump up and go to school. It was beyond calculation.
For a late-awakened, his body adapted too quickly.
From an instructor's perspective, it was admirable, but considering Baek Taeyang's actions, it didn't seem like a good thing.
'The disciplinary room on his first day of school, the disciplinary committee member is in danger.'
He didn't know what might happen.
It was an attitude instructors should avoid to treat a cadet they hadn't even met yet as a bomb, but what could he do?
With what he had seen and heard, it was a natural response.
He quickly arrived in front of the disciplinary room, using his ability.
Without time to catch his breath, he grabbed the doorknob and knocked.
"Baek Taeyang, are you in there? If so, open the door."
He clenched his fist, ready to break down the door if necessary.
He counted in his mind.
Ten... nine... seven...
If there was no response by the time he counted to one, he would break down the door.
As he knocked again and the count reached two, the door opened.
"Yes, Instructor, what's the matter?"
Jang Ducheol was momentarily taken aback.
The one who opened the door wasn't Baek Taeyang, but Yoo Sujin.
Had nothing really happened?
Behind Sujin was Baek Taeyang, looking exactly like 'a junior who had been scolded by a senior.'
He had naturally thought Baek Taeyang would subdue Sujin and open the door, but...
"Instructor?"
"Ah, aah, sorry. Baek Taeyang is in my class, so I came. Is it taking long?"
"No, there was a misunderstanding on my part. There's no problem at all."
Sujin's strangely flushed face bothered him, but he thought it was because she had scolded Taeyang.
Sujin and Taeyang naturally came out of the disciplinary room and immediately closed the door.
It was an action that absolutely wouldn't allow the inside to be seen, but Jang Ducheol didn't notice.
"Cadet Baek Taeyang, I'm Jang Ducheol, who will be your homeroom teacher."
Nice to meet you, Jang Ducheol said, and Taeyang smiled gently as he shook hands.
Ducheol felt confused by the appearance so different from the video.
He had expected a rebellious attitude, but this overly docile demeanor made him unsure what was real.
+++
'That was really close.'
The thought that what had just happened might have been discovered sent chills down his spine.
The act to cover up the situation was desperate, even thinking about it now.