I Became The Only Healer In The Academy [EN]: Chapter 47

47

“We actually won?”

“Yeah. We won.”

Inhwan seemed unable to believe it.

While there had been instances of 2nd graders defeating 3rd graders, the shocking result of a 1st grader defeating a 2nd grader had never occurred since the academy’s founding.

“Let’s go out now.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

Sunghyun firmly grasped the Cup of Victory and headed straight for the exit at the opponent’s starting point.

Simultaneously, an announcement was broadcast, declaring the results of the inter-grade competition.

“The winner of the inter-grade competition is the 1st grade.”

There was no congratulatory message, nor any expression of surprise at the unprecedented event, but none of that mattered.

“I want to be happier, but… an even bigger wall remains.”

Inhwan sighed deeply, and Sangyeon playfully tapped the back of Inhwan’s head.

“Are you already raining on our parade? We just won.”

“Yeah, the schedule hasn’t even been released yet, and Sungeuk already told us about their abilities in advance.”

Sunghyun placed the Cup of Victory on the prepared table and looked at the two of them, saying,

“And compared to a month ago, don’t you think we’ve changed a lot?”

“Definitely…”

“I agree.”

As Sunghyun said, they had achieved tremendous growth in just one month.

‘It’s safe to say it’s all thanks to Sunghyun… no, it’s entirely thanks to Sunghyun.’

‘If it weren’t for Sunghyun…’

They wouldn’t have risked their lives to hunt monsters and increase their skill proficiency and limits, nor would they have been able to use the association’s facilities that allowed them to grow so much in one month.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Sunghyun asked, puzzled by their uncharacteristically grateful gazes, and they both shook their heads simultaneously, replying.

“Ah, no.”

“It’s nothing.”

As they left the room, an unexpected face greeted them.

“I didn’t think the 1st graders would win.”

“Right. It’s probably the first time in the academy’s history?”

The 3rd graders were there.

Unlike their words, their expressions showed strong confidence.

Almost excessively so.

‘Are they already trying to keep us in check?’

Sunghyun chuckled, finding it a bit childish.

“…Are you laughing? Is this a time to be laughing?”

“Leave him be. Let him laugh while he can.”

They thought it was a little childish, but the 3rd graders were more immature than expected.

Although their abilities were strong and their talents were outstanding, unfortunately, their mentality didn’t seem to match.

“They’re 3rd graders…”

“It’s okay. Why bother?”

When Inhwan, slightly provoked, tried to retort, Sangyeon stopped him.

“We can just show them later.”

Sunghyun and the two of them conspicuously passed by the 3rd graders.

As they left the room, a guide who had been waiting approached them.

“Congratulations on winning the inter-grade competition. I will explain the next schedule and the hosting of the competition.”

Following the guide, they arrived at a space that made them wonder if such a place existed inside the academy.

It felt somewhat luxurious, as if it were a place to entertain external guests.

“The final competition of the academy will begin in two months.”

“Two months?”

Sunghyun rummaged through his memories from before his regression.

They hadn’t been given such a long period then; like other minor details, it already showed quite a few differences from Sunghyun’s memories.

“Yes. There are some things to adjust internally. There will be no extensions or advancements from the two months.”

“…I understand.”

The guide pushed something that had been prepared in advance on the table towards Sunghyun, handing it over.

“Unlike the competitions so far, the rules for the competition in two months will be set in advance. These rules will not change.”

Looking at what the guide had handed him, it contained detailed schedules and even the rules of how the competition would proceed.

“And… there is another reason why we have gathered you here.”

The guide took something out of his pocket and handed it to Sunghyun.

“What is this?”

The piece of paper the guide handed him had many names written on it.

It felt similar to the list he had seen at the association.

“These are the people who will be observing this competition.”

“Observing?”

Sunghyun asked, puzzled, and felt all the pieces of the puzzle fitting together in his head.

‘The sudden schedule set for two months later, calling us here separately… it’s obvious.’

The competition was originally supposed to be held in one month.

But it was changed to two months.

What could be the reason for that?

‘It might seem excessive, but it’s definitely because of me.’

It was rare worldwide for a 1st grader to defeat a 3rd grader.

In the first place, it was the first time it had happened in Korea, and as far as Sunghyun knew, only the United States and Japan had records of 1st graders defeating 3rd graders.

‘It feels like they’re using it for publicity.’

Although the association and the academy had somewhat divided structures and institutions, they were both under the same land of Korea.

Although Korea’s prestige ranking had risen to 9th place, there were definitely people who weren’t satisfied with that.

The stage was already set.

They didn’t need to try to spread it through the association or the academy.

The competition that took place today wasn’t just meaningful because a 1st grader defeated a 2nd grader.

It was that the 2nd grader lost to the 1st grader even though they used poison.

And that Sunghyun existed in that 1st grade.

The publicity had already been perfectly completed with the commotion that had occurred today, and if the number of observers had been determined so quickly, they were probably watching the competition video from somewhere else.

“If you happen to win the competition against the 3rd grade… the national competition will be held in the United States, which is currently ranked 1st in prestige, just one month later.”

After this, the guide explained the rules of the competition.

The rules were simpler than ever.

The annihilation of the opponent.

The rule was to render all opponents unable to fight, but there was one additional rule.

“In the next competition… you can seal one of the opponent’s abilities.”

“Seal…”

“Of course, we can’t forcibly prevent them from using it. It will be decided in advance. If they happen to use it during the competition, that person will be immediately disqualified.”

“That’s an interesting rule. It’s as if someone was deliberately targeted.”

Inhwan, who had been listening quietly, spoke in a rather aggressive tone, and the guide replied with an awkward smile.

“What would I know? I’m just conveying what the people above have said. Anyway, that’s all I have to say. Do you have any questions?”

“No. I don’t.”

Sunghyun answered immediately without a moment’s hesitation.

As if it wasn’t worth thinking about any further.

“Then. Good luck.”

The guide bowed politely and left the room first.

“Hey! Isn’t this too much? It’s obvious that they’re targeting us!”

“I agree. Isn’t it all obvious that the competition is being held in two months, and that there are observers? And sealing one ability. How absurd.”

They seemed to think that all of this was the academy’s manipulation.

“But why is that? There’s no reason for the academy to be so opposed to Sunghyun, is there?”

“I’m also wondering. The association seems to be favorable to Sunghyun… why is the academy…”

“Well, we’ll find out, right? Since these are all predetermined events, let’s prepare for two months. It might even be an opportunity.”

Sunghyun said, getting up from his seat as if he was okay, and Inhwan clicked his tongue, looking at Sunghyun.

“Tsk, you’re so easygoing. If I had a rare ability like you, I would have controlled the president too.”

“Don’t be stupid. You’d get assassinated or kidnapped.”

“It’s a joke, you idiot!”

The two bickered again, and Sunghyun chuckled softly and left the room.

Junghwan came out of the competition with a heavy heart.

“…Is this what the academy is like?”

Although they were teammates with a slightly frivolous feel, he hadn’t completely distrusted them.

Even outside of the competition, they were reliable comrades who had each other’s backs while hunting monsters together.

To think that such comrades had done such a dirty deed.

He couldn’t believe it, but he had to believe it since he had heard it directly from the person involved with his own two eyes and ears.

‘I feel disillusioned.’

He took a deep breath and got up from his seat, but Jungseok approached Junghwan with a very angry expression.

“Hey.”

“…What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong is that we were eliminated because of you.”

Jungseok was quite agitated, grabbing Junghwan by the collar and shaking him.

“Do you even know what happened because of that stupid짓거리 [짓거리 (jitgeori) is a Korean slang term for a foolish or nonsensical act]?”

“I know very well. But thanks to me, you’ll get less criticism.”

Junghwan roughly pushed away Jungseok’s hand, straightened his clothes, and looked at Jungseok with a disgusted expression.

“Get your dirty hands off me.”

Junghwan frowned and left the spot as it was.

“…You son of a bitch…”

Who was the reason they were eliminated from the competition?

If they had only won this competition, they could have defeated the 3rd graders who ate the academy’s cafeteria food in the same way.

If that happened, they would have had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to commission the master of equipment crafting, Demarge.

“Damn, you damn bastard…!”

Jungseok continued to punch the floor with his fist.

His hand was scraped and bleeding, but the anger that surged up didn’t subside easily even with the pain.

“Just you wait.”

A grinding sound echoed, but fortunately, no one was there to hear it.

Junghwan left the academy and immediately entered the alley next door.

It seemed like nothing but a cigarette could soothe his complicated feelings right now, so he took out a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

“How pathetic.”

He couldn’t be more miserable.

He had imagined fighting fairly against Sunghyun, who had saved his close friend, but even that had failed.

Moreover, he had committed an act that he shouldn’t have committed against such a benefactor.

Of course, it wasn’t an act that Junghwan had committed, and he didn’t know about it, but since it was committed by the same team, he was also responsible.

“Hoo, I’ll have to look to next year.”

Junghwan threw the cigarette butt into the nearby can along with a deep sigh and left the alley.

Originally, he would have been heading to the gate for subjugation right now, but he didn’t feel like it at all today.

“Should I go see Jinseok?”

He thought that having a light drink with a friend would relieve his current complicated feelings a little.

“My parents have been discharged from the hospital, so I should have time.”

With that, Junghwan called Jinseok and left the place.

“…You son of a bitch…”

But there was someone following behind him.

It was Jungseok.

‘I can’t forgive you.’

There would be no chance if it wasn’t this time.

There might be another chance when he becomes a 3rd grader, but there was no guarantee that he would win the representative competition again at that time.

And there was a reason why he had to go to the national competition this time.

The condition of the place that supported this poison was to advance to the national competition by winning this competition.

“You’ll take his place. Traitor.”

This time again, the sound of grinding teeth was heard like before, but Junghwan couldn’t hear it.