Academy's Silver Gatekeeper

Chapter 6

Every time the black flames met the sword, waves of heat scattered in all directions. The intense waves of magical energy, so powerful they sent chills down the spine, carried a thick aura of murderous intent.

The entire area had already been reduced to ruins. Wounded students lay scattered everywhere. They needed saving. They needed care. They were still fragile seedlings. If more time was wasted, countless lives would be lost.

But Han Jiyoon had no capacity to help them.

"What's this? Why are you so weak?"

A shadowy figure wavered before morphing into a massive sword, poised to drop over Han Jiyoon's head like an executioner's blade.

Boom!

"Ugh!"

A woman who had once disappeared, consumed by hatred and curses for the world and humanity. Even back then, she had seemed ready to unleash her honed killing intent at any moment. Now she had returned, her murderous aura even stronger.

Once a comrade and a hero, she had become a traitor to humanity.

An Elder.

"Our little Jiyoon, your skills have really dulled, huh? Is that all there is to your sword dance?" 

"Shut up." 

"Oh my, is that how you talk to your elder sister?"

Grinding her teeth, Han Jiyoon's sword flared with blue energy, slicing through the surrounding shadows.

The previously relaxed woman casually stepped back, her shadow splitting apart and dissolving on the ground.

"Too bad! If you'd swung just a little harder, you might have sliced off this big sister's head." 

"I said shut up. And stop calling yourself my sister. One more time, and I'll kill you, Hyun Sujin."

Hyun Sujin. Once an S-rank superhuman like Han Jiyoon. Once, a comrade.

In the early days, she was brighter and more righteous than anyone else. A person they could all rely on. She was like a holy figure in a magical world.

But after getting involved in a certain incident, she grew to despise the world and its people. Eventually, she chose to become a nightmare instead of humanity's beacon of hope.

"Don't just talk tough. Try harder. You're not even using half your strength." 

"Half is more than enough for the likes of you." 

"Lies. Do you think I don't know? I know exactly what's on your mind."

Hyun Sujin casually flicked her pinky finger.

In that instant, a student's body floated into the air.

"If you keep getting distracted, I might just kill them all." 

"You... damn it." 

"Aw, thanks for the compliment. I'm touched to tears!"

Han Jiyoon bit her lip until it bled, scanning the area.

Several fallen students were entangled in black threads. They looked harmless, but the moment those threads were pulled, it would be a bloodbath.

"Those threads were so reassuring when they tore through monsters."

It was always the same.

She once used those threads to control monsters, forcing them to attack their own kind. Hesitate, and their kin would die. Fight, and their kin would still die.

Now, Hyun Sujin was using the same tactic on people.

And knowing her, she'd follow through on every word she spoke.

"You seem to be holding back because you're worried about them... I warned you, Jiyoon."

Smiling brightly, like a demon risen from hell, Hyun Sujin whispered.

"If you don't fight properly, I'll tear them apart piece by piece."

Grinding her teeth, Han Jiyoon had no viable options.

If she used her full strength as Hyun Sujin wanted, the injured students would be caught in the crossfire. But dragging out the fight would only tempt Hyun Sujin to act on her threats.

There was only one choice: buy time until reinforcements arrived. Thankfully, the headmaster wasn't far away.

"I told you, I can see exactly what you're thinking."

Hovering in the air, Hyun Sujin giggled.

"If you're waiting for that old man Ma Hakjun, don't bother. You think we're stupid? Of course, we've accounted for him. We've matched forces exactly to his level, so it'll take him a while."

Han Jiyoon froze mid-curse. Something felt off in Hyun Sujin's words.

At first, she thought it was a simple ambush. A mission to destroy the Academy. But now Hyun Sujin said they just needed to buy some time.

'Not to assassinate the headmaster, but merely to delay him?'

There were other oddities too.

Despite urging Han Jiyoon to fight seriously, Hyun Sujin herself wasn't using her full power. She was holding back, deliberately prolonging the fight.

As if to say, "You need to stay here and play with me for a long, long time."

"You had another plan, didn't you? This isn't just a simple attack."

"Oh my! Jiyoon's getting sharp! I'm so moved I could cry."

Swoosh!

Shadows morphed into dark blades, aiming for Han Jiyoon's shoulder. They were almost invisible, but Han Jiyoon blocked them with ease.

Once again, Hyun Sujin hadn't used her full strength.

"You're impressive. So, as a reward, I'll share something with you. Villains love monologuing about their plans, right? I've always wanted to try that."

"What are you..."

"I heard a very precious gemstone just enrolled here."

Han Jiyoon instinctively understood what she meant.

By "gemstone," she meant one of the newly admitted students.

"Some fools say they're worthless, but we saw the potential. The condensed, violent brilliance inside them! So we're going to take it. Break through the Academy's defenses and steal it... just like a phantom thief."

Han Jiyoon's mind raced. Who was this student? Who was worth sending even an Elder to kidnap?

Then it hit her.

A girl from a prestigious family, yet lacking overwhelming talent. Someone dismissed as a failure.

"The granddaughter of Kang Minseong, right? Ah, I can't wait! How will that doting old man react when he hears his precious granddaughter was kidnapped? What will he say to Ma Hakjun? What reckless things will he do? I'm dying to know!"

Han Jiyoon bit her lip again.

Would the professors hold out until reinforcements came?

But before she could hope, Hyun Sujin smirked.

"Oh, Jiyoon. You didn't think I came alone, did you?"

Han Jiyoon's eyes widened.

"Surely you didn't think we'd pull this off with just one Elder, right?"

The Elders had never moved in pairs before. They were the kind who couldn't cooperate, let alone harmonize. That’s why the Association, Han Jiyoon herself, and even Ma Hakjun had all let their guard down.

"You finally look flustered, huh? Hehe. Jiyoon, let’s make a bet. Here’s the deal. If you do me a little favor, I’ll step aside. I won’t bother you anymore. How about it?"

With a sly smile, Hyun Sujin slowly raised her hand.  

A student bound by black threads was lifted into the air.

"The condition of the bet is simple. Kill this student with your own hands."  

"Hyun Sujin!"  

"Not much time to think about it, you know? Time’s ticking away, Jiyoon! Tick-tock, tick-tock!"

"Kim Suhyeon?"  

"N-no! I’m not Kim Suhyeon…!"

Stab!

Instead of a reply, a spear pierced through the girl's stomach. With a harsh cough, dark red blood spilled from her lips as her body went limp.

The man holding the spear looked like a corpse dragged from a river. His complexion was deathly pale, and water dripped from his entire body. Dragging one leg behind him, he continued his slow search.

"Kim Suhyeon?"  

"S-She went that way! Just over there!"

At the boy’s panicked shout, the man slowly turned his body.

Security guards and professors tried to block his path, but a single thrust ended them.  

It was impossible for an ordinary superhuman to stand against an Elder.

Dragging his body forward, the man spotted a girl and spoke.

"...Found you."

There it was. Exactly what he was searching for—what someone else desperately wanted. He just wanted to end this quickly and escape this repulsive place.

"A-ahh!"

Kim Suhyeon must have sensed she was in grave danger.

She turned and fled, but an injury from an earlier explosion slowed her down. No matter how hard she ran, the distance between her and the man with the spear shrank.

Huff! Huff!

The more she moved, the more blood she lost. The bleeding gradually made her limbs heavy and sluggish.

"Please help me! Someone, please save me!"

She screamed for help, but no response came.

Terrified. Completely terrified. The man with the spear seemed like a ghost. Dripping with the aura of death, he dragged his leg closer and closer.

Crash!

"Ahk!"

Was it the blood loss? Her legs gave out, and she collapsed. Looking back, the man was right there. Close enough to touch.

Swish—

Suddenly, Kim Suhyeon felt herself being yanked forward. Between her and the spear-wielding phantom, a man stepped in.

"Move."

The ghostly figure leveled his spear and spoke in a chilling tone. If you step aside, you won’t die. So get out of the way. It was his first and final offer to let someone live.

But—

"Sorry. I don’t think I can do that."

The man standing in his way flatly refused the offer.