I Became The Only Healer In The Academy [EN]: Chapter 100

Having decided to play dumb, I planned to use my powers to the fullest.

Except for healing and summoning.

Of course, everyone had initially thought of the mercenary A as a hunter specializing in close combat with swords. However, as I kept summoning strange beings, more and more people began to question A’s true identity.

With each gate cleared, the curious gazes directed towards the masked figure intensified.

Many guild members tried to strike up a conversation, but the cold, almost hostile responses deterred them from further attempts.

After clearing about ten 3-star gates as a mercenary, Sung Hyun became even more famous in the industry as the mercenary A.

Now that his overwhelming performance in mutated gates was proven, the number of requests for Sung Hyun whenever a 3-star gate needed clearing increased significantly.

It started to reach up to two requests a day.

Thanks to this, the manager was so busy coordinating Sung Hyun’s schedule that he couldn’t do anything else.

“Vice President, this person A… no matter how I look at it…”

“I know.”

The secretary looked slightly puzzled at the Vice President’s words.

“Is it okay?”

“He’s showing at least some sincerity, isn’t he?”

“Isn’t it too sloppy?”

“They won’t pay much attention to mercenaries anyway. They’re only just starting to investigate with the appearance of a new figure.”

The Vice President already knew.

That Sung Hyun didn’t have much time left.

The movements of other countries had already escalated to a level that was difficult to grasp.

The only thing the association could do now was to protect Sung Hyun’s family as much as possible.

‘I feel a little sorry for Kim Hunter…’

The association didn’t have the power to protect Sung Hyun as well.

They needed personnel to send to the mutating 3-star gates, and they also needed hunters to track the movements of many countries due to Sung Hyun’s appearance.

In this state, more than ten countries started to show movements simultaneously, making it so busy that tracking the movements became almost impossible.

“Bring back some of the hunters stationed overseas.”

“Wouldn’t that reduce the amount of incoming information? Is that okay?”

The secretary’s words made sense, but there was no choice now.

“Revert to the number of personnel before Kim Hunter appeared.

Instruct those personnel to delay reporting on new talents for the time being and only report on movements.”

“So, you’ve made a decision.”

It was a very big decision for the association as well.

They were weighing the potential future consequences against the immediate situation involving Kim Sung Hyun.

And with the outcome uncertain, the Vice President judged that Sung Hyun’s side of the scale was heavier.

“From now on, the association must focus all its efforts on protecting Kim Hunter’s family.”

That was what Sung Hyun had requested in the first place.

To prioritize his family.

“Then what about Kim Hunter? We need to assign at least a minimum number of people to him.”

“Assign Chief Cha exclusively.”

“…I wonder if Chief Cha will accept…”

There was another reason why the secretary hesitated.

He was the older brother of Cha Min Hyuk, the top-ranked student of the Academy’s 3rd grade.

“There’s no one more capable than him. If a situation arises where even reporting is impossible, he’s the perfect person to help Kim Hunter overcome the threat together.”

If he were the type to put personal feelings first, he wouldn’t have been able to climb to that position at that age in the first place.

“I understand. I will assign Chief Cha exclusively.”

“And looking at his recent actions…”

Looking at the mercenary A’s reputation, it seemed like he was just going around smashing 3-star gates.

He even managed to clear two 3-star gates in a single day.

It made him wonder if he was this skilled. The Sung Hyun he had encountered recently didn’t seem to be this strong, but whether he had been hiding his strength or had grown, he was already far beyond the standards of an ordinary hunter.

“Frankly speaking… if he’s smashing 3-star gates to that extent, most assassins wouldn’t even be able to graze Kim Hunter’s clothes.”

“There are even rumors that he’s similar to that Kim Chun Joong…”

“Kim Chun Joong…”

He was someone he had gone on expeditions with a few times before.

He was a hunter with such great power that everyone in the mercenary world of Korea knew him.

If he was being compared to Kim Chun Joong, then Sung Hyun was probably much more outstanding than he had expected.

“So, how long is Kim Hunter planning to live as a mercenary?”

“He didn’t mention a specific schedule, but I think he’ll continue until at least before the academy starts.”

“Tell Chief Cha that he can stop guarding him midway at his discretion.”

“I understand.”

In the first place, Chief Cha was someone who liked strong people.

He was quite excellent at choosing his own team and had a good eye for people.

“Then I’ll relay the message to Chief Cha. When should I tell him to start working?”

“Starting today. It would be good to infiltrate together as a mercenary, but leave that to Chief Cha’s discretion.”

“Yes, I understand.”

—————————

Cha Sang Hyuk, Cha Min Hyuk’s older brother.

Chief Cha received his mission from the secretary.

“You said starting today, right?”

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

As soon as the mission briefing was over, Chief Cha left the room and told his team.

“I hope things will be the same while I’m gone.”

“Yes, Chief.”

In fact, Chief Cha already knew quite a bit about Sung Hyun.

That A was Sung Hyun.

That the person named A was taking down 3-star gates left and right.

“Chief Cha! Right now, Kim Hunter is…”

“I know. He has a 3-star gate subjugation schedule in the outskirts of Gyeonggi [Province in South Korea].”

“Ah… yes.”

He was secretly worried about what to do if he refused the mission, but he seemed to be waiting for this mission instead.

“I hope they don’t fight…”

The vague sense of unease kept lingering, but as the Vice President said, he was someone who strictly distinguished between work and personal matters, so he left it at just a thought.

Chief Cha headed straight to the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province without hesitation.

It was just the time for Sung Hyun to set out for subjugation.

Getting into the car, Chief Cha immediately made a call.

“It’s me.”

“Yes, Chief.”

“Register me as a mercenary under my name with the association right now.”

“Are you saying right now?”

“Yes, within 30 minutes. That’s all. I’m driving.”

“Ah, yes, yes!”

Chief Cha gripped the steering wheel with slightly trembling hands.

A hunter who was five years younger than him not only had healing abilities but was also being compared to that Kim Chun Joong.

In fact, he wasn’t even interested in healing abilities.

Even when he first appeared on TV, he just brushed it off, thinking there would be a slight change in the ranking.

“I want to meet him soon.”

He was supposed to arrive in 30 minutes, but Chief Cha covered the distance in just 15 minutes and arrived at the subjugation site first.

“Where are you from…”

“Mercenary. Cha Sang Hyuk.”

“Cha Sang Hyuk? I hired the mercenaries myself, but I’ve never seen that name before…”

The person in charge checked the list and found the name Cha Sang Hyuk at the very end.

“…What is this?”

“Are you done checking?”

“Ah, yes. Please sign here.”

After signing, Chief Cha took a seat on one side and watched only the entrance where people were coming in.

Until Sung Hyun arrived.

About 10 minutes later, Sung Hyun appeared.

Wearing that mask that everyone knew now.

Chief Cha waited for Sung Hyun to finish signing and then approached him first.

“…? Do you need something?”

“Hello. I’m Cha Sang Hyuk.”

“Ah, yes. I’m A.”

“I’m from the association. I’m a chief.”

He looked about the same age as him, but Sung Hyun looked quite surprised at the word “chief.”

“Cha… Sang Hyuk, could it be…”

For some reason, the name was familiar, and as he traced his memories, Cha Min Hyuk, who was the top-ranked student of the 3rd grade, came to mind.

“That’s right. He’s my younger brother.”

“…”

He wondered if he had any ill feelings, but he couldn’t see any emotions of that kind in his eyes.

“I will be in charge of guarding Kim… no, Hunter A.”

“Guarding? It seems like things have started to happen that require guarding. Then my family…”

“Due to manpower issues, only I have been assigned to the hunter, and all available reserve personnel will be deployed to protect your family.”

“That’s good news. So, are you being deployed as a mercenary?”

“Yes, shouldn’t I be watching from the closest proximity?”

In fact, the purpose of applying as a mercenary was a little different, but it wasn’t a lie either.

“Oh, Masked Friend. You came again today.”

“Hello.”

“Who’s that friend next to you…?”

“I’m Cha Sang Hyuk. You’re Hunter Kim Chun Joong, right?”

“Haha! Look, Mask. See? That’s how great I am.”

“Yes.”

“…Still boring.”

The three of them, who had been chatting for a while, got up from their seats at the words of a guild member.

“Let’s depart.”

Perhaps the largest number of mercenaries in history entered the gate with the guild members.

“Why do I have a bad feeling?”

The scenery inside the gate was no different from the outside.

The collapsing buildings, the numerous mosses clinging to those buildings, looked as if humanity had been destroyed.

“Mercenaries, please support the rear. We will provide basic crystals even if you don’t defeat any monsters.”

Kim Chun Joong nodded at the commander’s words and said.

“He’s quite considerate. It’s been a long time.”

“Hmm, I prefer to take as much as I defeat.”

At Sung Hyun’s words, he burst into laughter and slapped Sung Hyun on the back with his huge hand.

“That’s how you go. People usually don’t know if they’re being greedy.”

“You have a serious side too.”

“Of course! What a natural thing to say.”

They were already at a level where they could easily handle mutated 3-star gates, so tension didn’t exist for these three.

They were walking and chatting as if they were going to a neighborhood cafe, but the more they walked, the more they began to feel strange.

“But… isn’t it a little strange?”

Chief Cha spoke first, and Sung Hyun and Kim Chun Joong nodded in response.

“Yes, it’s strange. Very.”

“This is the first time in my mercenary life that this has happened.”

Even though quite a bit of time had passed since they entered the gate, the monsters were nowhere to be seen.

The other guild members also noticed the strange feeling and kept looking around, but as expected, there was no sign of monsters, let alone any presence.

It wasn’t the type of stealth either.

If it were, Sung Hyun, Kim Chun Joong, and Chief Cha would have felt it.

“Hey, Association guy. Is there anything like this in the association’s records?”

“…No.”

Kim Chun Joong had already known Chief Cha’s identity and asked, but unfortunately, this phenomenon did not exist in the association’s records.

“The gate has mutated!”

Turning back to the gate they had entered at someone’s shout, it was slightly different from the color of a normal gate.

“Why is the color…”

It was common for mutated gates to turn red, but the color they were seeing now was definitely not red.

“Why… purple…”

A gate that had mutated into purple, which had never appeared even when looking back at the history of hunters, was welcoming them.

“E, everyone, prepare for battle! Strengthen the defenses!”

Even Kim Chun Joong, who was rarely serious, and Chief Cha, who rarely panicked.

Even Sung Hyun, who easily subjugated mutated 3-star gates, couldn’t help but be a little taken aback this time.

“The sky…”

After the gate completely mutated, the sky began to resemble the color of the gate.

In purple.