All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 3

3. The Fruits of Resistance – 1

Kirke had said it, and Ian had realized it himself: this body had no talent whatsoever.

He was slow to learn anything, and even when he did, he couldn’t use it properly.

When sparring, he would often close his eyes and get hit without realizing it.

Even after studying all night, his mind would go blank when he faced the exam paper.

But he never stopped trying.

Although he didn’t receive any rewards for his efforts, he was able to build a strong foundation of physical strength and muscle.

“Haa…”

Might is not just about internal energy.

The body must also be strengthened accordingly.

When Ian’s body, which had been constantly trained, became accustomed to the training methods of the Sallcheon Gate [a prestigious martial arts clan], the strongest martial arts clan on the continent.

-Knock knock!!

A knock was heard on the door.

“Ian. Will you admit your mistake?”

He ignored it and continued his training.

“This is your last warning!! Will you admit your mistake?!”

Again, ignored.

When he didn’t answer, Isaac burst open the door.

“Are you going to resist to the end?”

Only then did Ian stop doing push-ups.

“It seems like it’s been a month.”

“You…!”

Isaac’s expression was distorted.

Ian glanced at his face and picked up his shirt that he had taken off.

He was too relaxed for someone who had been locked in solitary confinement for a month.

Isaac glared at Ian and said.

“Don’t forget that I’m watching you.”

“If you’re going to watch, watch closely. Unless your eyes are just knotholes.”

Was it a provocation?

Or a criticism of not properly looking after the students until now?

Isaac gritted his teeth at the ambiguous meaning, and Ian leisurely passed him.

After roughly showering in the dormitory’s communal shower room, he went straight back to his room.

“You little…”

Tribe was waiting in the room, looking furious.

“What, you son of a bitch.”

Ian smirked at him, who was spewing hatred and anger, and opened the closet.

Tribe approached him roughly as he changed into a new student uniform.

“Follow me to the roof.”

“Crazy bastard. Why would I?”

“Just follow me!!”

He growled roughly and left.

Ian shrugged his shoulders after changing his clothes and left the room.

When he went up to the roof, Tribe was standing there with a wooden sword.

“I was caught off guard by the surprise attack last time. It’ll be different this time.”

“But where’s my sword?”

“You just need to get your ass kicked, so you don’t need that kind of thing!!”

Tribe shouted and rushed in.

He hadn’t been able to sleep properly from the day he returned after receiving treatment until today.

He woke up from nightmares of being attacked every day.

He would end that pain by crushing that bastard.

Tribe tried to swing his wooden sword mercilessly, but Ian’s eyes flashed first.

The monster’s eye, which could turn the opponent to stone just by looking at them, was activated.

That alone was enough to stiffen Tribe’s body, who was preparing for the next attack.

“Ugh… Ugh…?”

While he was surprised by the sudden phenomenon of his body not moving.

Ian looked at him, who was frozen, and smiled bitterly.

“The power is weak. It can’t even turn him into stone.”

“I know. But still, it’s great for now.”

Compared to when he turned thousands of troops into stone in the past, it was insignificant.

Ian grabbed him, who had stiffened, and looked down at the railing.

<23.1% chance of survival upon falling.>

“This time, it’s about one-fourth. Can he really survive?”

And he threw Tribe, who was stiff and only rolling his eyes, off the roof without hesitation.

* * *

Isaac gritted his teeth.

In the end, Ian did not admit his guilt, and the instructors’ gazes became even colder.

‘Damn it… It’s definitely that bastard…’

But as he said, there was no evidence or witnesses.

There were even talks about how he must have been so wronged that he endured a month in solitary confinement.

‘What a joke… That bastard was actually enjoying solitary confinement.’

He endured the solitary confinement, which even the lowest-ranking students would find painful, with ease.

Could that Ian really be the pathetic Ian he knew?

‘Could it be…? Did he make a deal with the devil or something?’

Isaac stopped in his tracks at the sudden thought.

It was then.

-Crack! Thump!!

Something fell and collided with the trees in the flower bed.

Seeing this, Isaac rushed over to see.

“Tribe?!”

One of his arms and both legs were twisted in strange directions, and blood was flowing from his head.

Fortunately, he was still alive, so Isaac was relieved and quickly raised his head.

There, Ian was leaning against the railing, looking down and waving his hand.

“Instructor Isaac!!”

“What’s going on?!”

Two instructors who heard the collision sound ran over.

Isaac left Tribe to them and ran quickly.

“Ian!!”

Isaac found Ian coming down the stairs and blocked him.

“What did you do to Tribe!”

“This time, he said he would show that there are wings when falling, and then he fell. Ah. Are you misunderstanding again, by any chance?”

“You…!!”

Students gathered at Isaac’s shout.

Seeing that, Ian smiled slyly and said to Isaac in a small voice.

“That’s why you should have watched closely. I guess your eyes really are knotholes.”

Isaac clenched his fist at his ridicule.

He raised his fist as if he was about to hit him, but he held back.

“Did you drop Tribe?”

“No.”

“Don’t lie.”

“Then it’s the same old story.”

Ian raised the corners of his lips towards Isaac.

“Come with the evidence or witnesses you like so much.”

“Tch…!”

Isaac bit his lip.

Ian bowed slightly towards him, who couldn’t say anything.

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll be going.”

Ian hummed and returned to his room.

Isaac glared at him as he walked away and clenched his fist tightly.

“Damn bastard… Just you wait.”

Ian ignored his voice and returned to his room, opening the window.

The sunlight was shining in well because it was still daytime.

Ian sat cross-legged on the sunny bed.

Every time he accepted the energy of the sun contained in the sunlight, the impurities in his body were being drawn out.

“There are so many impurities.”

“Who would do this? My family?”

Who would benefit from this in a small, insignificant barony [a territory held by a baron]?

If there was a problem, they would have just killed him.

“Kirke. Is there anything coming out of his family?”

He needs to read people’s past and memories.

To do that, the access level must be at its maximum, so Kirke denied it, and Ian shrugged his shoulders.

“What if you roughly investigate at the current level?”

Kirke was silent for a moment.

Kirke, who obtained information from the accessed Truth, said emotionlessly.

“Is that so? Then let’s find out as we raise the level. Prepare it as a priority.”

He recalled the memories remaining in this body.

But there was nothing special in those memories except for the abuse, discrimination, pain, and contempt from his family.

He couldn’t help but laugh as he recalled the pain, despair, and sadness.

‘This is fun.’

It’s about raising an ugly duckling who was hated by everyone and rejected as someone who couldn’t do it.

What could be more enjoyable for him, who had a strong rebellious spirit?

He enjoyed it and closed his eyes again and began to concentrate.

* * *

The next day, Ian went to the training ground for class.

Isaac said pompously from the platform of the training ground where all the students were gathered.

“The ‘process’ of this physical training will also be reflected in the score, so work with those who have similar skills.”

“Tch.”

“You got lucky, Ian. You bastard.”

Large boys near Ian.

Lud and Ainkel tapped Ian on the shoulder and whispered.

They were convinced that Ian had attacked Tribe.

That’s why they were going to take revenge this time.

But they couldn’t give up the score, so they gave up the opportunity and moved on.

They thought they could beat Ian up later.

Meanwhile, the students were busy moving.

As always, no one was by Ian’s side this time either.

“Ian. It seems like you don’t have a partner.”

“Yes. That’s right. But Instructor Isaac, what’s the reason for including the training ‘process’ in the score?”

“That’s my business.”

The story of seeing the process is the story of seeing various techniques or combat methods.

Having done it with Ian, who is clumsy in everything, he wouldn’t be able to show it properly.

That’s why the students turned away from Ian, and Isaac wanted this.

Ian, who noticed his intentions, smiled.

“Instructor Isaac. I don’t have a partner… Can I ask you to be my partner?”

As if he had been waiting for those words, Isaac immediately replied.

“Of course.”

Baron Ebis, Tribe’s father, had been giving Isaac satisfactory gifts every month for his son.

But that Tribe fell from the building.

Not just once, but twice.

In the meantime, Ian, who was obviously the culprit, was just denying it.

He had to do something.

He had to give him a penalty that Baron Ebis would be satisfied with.

If he didn’t do anything, would he continue to give him gifts as he had done so far?

Not just Ebis.

If the parents of some of the students he cherished knew about this, would the gifts continue?

No.

The gifts would be cut off, saying that he couldn’t even manage the students properly.

That could never happen.

‘To do that…’

He had to thoroughly crush this arrogant bastard in front of him.

And after making him confess by repeating this ‘training’, he had to hand him over to the instructor meeting and kick him out of the academy.

‘No. That’s not enough.’

This guy’s ridicule and challenge have infringed on the authority of the instructor.

If he just leaves this alone, the students will look down on him and resist following Ian.

If that happens, control will become difficult and his evaluation will naturally drop.

‘Then it’s destruction.’

How did he become an instructor at this academy?

How much did he spend to get here?

He couldn’t lose it in vain like this.

‘Damn bastard. I’ll smash you to pieces.’

Isaac clenched his fist tightly.

“Instructor Isaac.”

Ian, who slowly walked to the sparring arena, warmed up lightly.

“I heard that you were quite famous as an adventurer who went to the Forgotten City [a notoriously dangerous area]?”

The Forgotten City refers to a dangerous area in the center of the continent.

Isaac used to mention that he had gone there in every class as if he was proud of it.

“What about it?”

“It’s a battle between a mere student and a skilled person who has been to the Forgotten City.”

“So?”

“Shouldn’t you give me some leeway?”

“Ha! A lion puts all its effort into catching a rabbit!! Everyone, keep that in mind!!”

“Ah. So you’re going to give it your all?”

Isaac looked around.

All the students were enjoying this unreasonable sparring.

And everyone was hoping.

That Ian would lose.

That he would break one or two places and not be able to attend class.

His rebellious spirit wriggled at their malicious gazes.

‘That wish.’

“Haaaaaa!!”

With the start signal, Isaac roared.

Blue aura rises from his body.

Ian, who noticed his intention to give it his all, smiled coldly.

‘I’ll smash you to pieces.’

The moment Isaac rushed in and collided with Ian.

-Thwack!!

The sound of leather bursting rang out, and silence settled in the sparring arena.