Chapter 28

The fundamental ideology of Elland Academy is to nurture talented individuals regardless of status to become pillars supporting the kingdom. Therefore, within the academy exist people of various social classes from commoners to nobles, and they are given equal opportunities and chances for learning.

-In name only, though. Reality is always different.

While education itself is provided without cost, that’s all.

All expenses – lecture materials, equipment maintenance, dormitory fees, food costs, living expenses – must be paid for by the individual.

Children of nobles and merchants with deep pockets can focus solely on honing their skills by equipping the finest gear, eating nutritious meals, and hiring private tutors, but children from poor families and commoners must work as mercenaries or take side jobs to earn living expenses while attending the academy.

“Hey, give me your money.”

And among them were some unsavory types who extorted money by threatening other students.

Though this deserved condemnation, both students and professors generally turned a blind eye.

Unless someone bothered high-ranking nobles or powerful families, even delinquents weren’t stupid – they only targeted poor or obscure families they could safely harass.

Like scratching until it bleeds, they thought it better to quietly cover things up rather than publicize issues that would only damage the academy’s honor.

Today too, the tragedy of students threatening students was unfolding.

“Are you talking to me right now?”

“Who else is here besides you?”

“…What is this? Am I dreaming?”

However, there was one difference from usual – the roles were reversed.

Leon, who could be called the academy’s punching bag, was making threats while the delinquents were being threatened. Unable to imagine such a situation, the delinquents wondered if they were dreaming.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said give me your money.”

Realizing this wasn’t a dream but reality at the continued demands, the delinquents made bewildered expressions and said:

“Give you money? You? Us?”

“Yes. All the money you’ve extorted from me until now. Around 100 gold coins should be appropriate.”

Faced with such an absurd amount, the delinquents unconsciously asked before getting angry:

“Even if you add up everything we’ve taken from you until now, it wouldn’t be more than 50 gold coins, where are you getting 100 from?”

“Ever heard of interest? When you borrow money, you need to pay back the principal plus interest.”

“Ah, interest?”

After briefly exchanging glances, the delinquents got up wearing cruel smiles.

“Don’t know what you ate wrong, but you’re really in for it today. We’ll beat you until…”

Crack!

The delinquent in front collapsed to the ground after taking a knee to the face.

While everyone froze at the sudden attack, Yuseong darted in like lightning unleashing strikes, and in the blink of an eye all the delinquents were rolling on the ground screaming.

“Kuhk!”

“M-my leg! My leg!”

A horrific scene of blood and screams.

Yuseong, who had created this carnage, spoke in a gentle voice while stepping on a fallen delinquent’s ankle without blinking:

“Don’t understand what I’m saying? I said give me all your money.”

“Kuhk! You bastard dare to…”

Crunch!

“Aaaaghh!”

“Next is the left one.”

“S-stop! I’ll give it! I’ll give it!”

Looking at the pile of pouches and coins before him, Yuseong said with a bright smile:

“If I find anything when searching you, it’s one punch per copper coin, got it?”

Clink! Thud!

“Let’s see. This seems far from 100 gold coins?”

“Who do you think has 100 gold coins lying around? How could we possibly have that much money!”

“So what do you want me to do about it?”

“What?”

Yuseong gave the blank-faced delinquent his most cruel smile and said:

“Did you consider my circumstances while bullying me and taking my money? I don’t care about your circumstances, just give me 100 gold coins.”

“You son of a…”

Squeeze!

The delinquent shut his mouth at the pressure rising through his remaining ankle.

“You should think carefully before speaking.”

“……”

“I don’t care how you do it – borrow it, steal it, ask for an allowance advance – just bring 100 gold coins by tomorrow. If you can’t, I’ll either tear off your limbs or beat you to a pulp and make sure you spend the rest of your life in bed.”

“…O-okay.”

“Promise?”

Getting up, Yuseong added one last comment as if suddenly remembering something, exaggeratedly shrugging his shoulders:

“By the way, that’s 100 gold coins per person, not total. Don’t forget.”

Though he didn’t look back, Yuseong could imagine the expressions the delinquents must be making and covered his mouth to let out a small laugh. Not one of those he’d faced had bothered being cautious, showing just how lightly they took Leon.

If they’d fought properly, he would have only managed to take down around a dozen due to stamina drain and numerical disadvantage, but thanks to their carelessness he’d taken down more than twice that – he couldn’t help but laugh.

-How can you laugh right now?

‘Hm? Aren’t you happy seeing all the guys who bullied you getting crushed?’

-I am happy. I am, but… aren’t you taking things too far?!

People tend to panic when faced with events beyond a certain threshold, regardless of what they are.

That was exactly how Leon felt right now.

-Just the people you’ve taken down are nearly a tenth of the academy’s students! I could understand if they started things first, but how can you go around picking fights and destroying people who were just passing by or minding their own business!

After getting treated by a priest and recovering his wounds, Yuseong had skipped lectures and gone around indiscriminately destroying students Leon pointed out. Though Leon had enjoyed watching at first, after seeing dozens of students fall over half a day, he couldn’t help but feel fear at the growing scale.

‘It would be unfair if some got hit and others didn’t when they all bullied you the same. Might as well do it properly.’

-Why did you extort money?

‘Have to get compensation.’

-…I’m finished now. This is the end.

‘Don’t worry, everything’s happening according to a meticulous plan.’

-Meticulous? Which part of what you’re doing right now is meticulous?

‘Hmm, all of it?’

Sensing Leon’s despair, Yuseong felt he needed to explain his plan a bit.

‘Why are you despairing right now?’

-…Obviously because I’m worried about the consequences. You won’t stay in my body forever helping me, you said you’d leave after this is done. How am I supposed to handle the aftermath?

‘Really? Then, if I just beat up a few people moderately instead of going all out like this, could you handle those consequences?’

-Uh…

Leon was left speechless at the casually thrown words.

‘You’ve been bullied for over a year, right? Do you think they’ll stop bullying you just because you crushed around a dozen people? I don’t think so. Those who haven’t been hurt by you, those dreaming of revenge even after getting hurt – they’ll try something eventually. And you’ll probably be discovered to have become weak again once you’re alone. What happens then?’

Obviously an even harder academy life than now would begin.

Finally realizing his situation, Leon swallowed dryly and listened to Yuseong’s words.

‘If you just want to reduce the bullying a bit, showing moderately impressive skills would be enough. If you want to completely eliminate bullying, you’d need to show overwhelming ability that no one would dare question and reign as the strongest. But my current ability is at an awkward level that’s neither of those, and what I’m aiming for is beyond just reducing or eliminating bullying.’

-…I finally understand what you’re thinking. But there’s one critical problem. How do you plan to resolve everything that’s happened so far?

Leon’s goal was to restore the Bermund martial art and revive his family.

Though through talking with Yuseong he’d realized he didn’t necessarily need to fixate on the academy to achieve that goal, what they’d done so far wasn’t something that could be resolved just by leaving the academy.

Considering the influence and backing of the crushed students’ families, even in the best case he’d face life imprisonment or equivalent punishment, and in the worst case the consequences could extend beyond just himself to his family – so asking for countermeasures was natural.

And Yuseong’s answer to this was simple.

‘Can’t resolve it. How could this be resolved?’

-You son of a…

‘Ah ah. Watch your language.’

In just half a day, dozens of students had suffered injuries traumatic enough to leave permanent scars, and those injuries were inflicted by a declining family’s half-wit fighter.

Obviously there was no way to resolve this.

-…Then what do we do?

‘Simple. We create collaborators and sacrificial lambs.’

-Collaborators and sacrificial lambs?

Just as he was about to ask what these accomplices were, Felix appeared blocking Yuseong’s path.

“Professor Felix. Do you have some business with me?”

“Business?”

Felix’s eye twitched before he barely suppressed his rage and spoke in a growling voice:

“Indiscriminate assault of students, extortion, defamation, attempted murder. Plus nine other regulation violations. You’re under arrest.”

* * *

When problems arise at the academy, professors gather to discuss and determine punishment.

Most cases are handled according to internal regulations, with just the problem student and supervising professor appearing to read the charges and announce punishment, so it wasn’t usually a big deal, but today was different.

“That damned bastard critically injured 86 people! In just one day! And he didn’t even cleanly stab with a knife – he crushed joints, shattered bones, and broke limbs making recovery difficult! His Majesty the King is scheduled to attend the appointment ceremony in three days, what are we supposed to do about this?!”

“I tell you, you have to give it to warrior types for being violent. This is what happens when all they do is practice killing techniques.”

“What? How is that lunatic our fault? Did your brain rot from being cooped up in a dark room doing experiments all day?!”

“Tsk tsk, I knew this would happen when I let that mercenary become an instructor. Just what kind of teaching leads to something like this…”

Every professor in the academy was shouting with veins bulging in their necks.

An unprecedented incident where a single student seriously injured and humiliated 86 students while simultaneously extorting their property, leaving them with mental trauma.

If it had been a moderately large incident they would have quietly covered it up, but the unprecedented scale led to this gathering.

Bang!

Felix silenced everyone with a mana-infused stomp and stepped forward speaking in a low voice:

“Student Leon. Just what was your intention in doing this?”

Could this be the legendary level of killing with will and form that existed only in legends?

Meeting Felix’s gaze as he radiated murderous intent so intense it made hair and clothes flutter, Yuseong opened his mouth:

“I simply followed Professor Felix’s teachings.”

“…You followed my teachings?”

“The academy isn’t your home and I’m not your parent. Even when an academy student is beaten so severely by other students that they can’t properly attend lectures, that’s just an individual matter they must handle themselves. Didn’t you say that once you’re an adult, you need to handle your own affairs? Those were all words spoken from your position as an academy professor.”

Seeing the corners of his mouth rise ever so slightly, Felix felt a rage he’d never experienced before.