Academy's Silver Gatekeeper

Chapter 7

Explosions erupted from every direction, and soon scarlet flames roared into the sky. Between the flames, smoke, and debris, the screams of students echoed.

This was the event that marked the opening chapter of the novel: the villain's attack on the academy. If memory served correctly, there were supposedly two Elders among them.

The academy's defenses were nearly flawless, but they were meaningless before the Elders. Considering that the Elders were once S-rank superhumans, this was only natural.

Their combat instincts, their abilities—every aspect of them was overwhelming. No matter how many faculty members and security personnel there were, they couldn't stand a chance.

Even with Han Jiyoon around… stopping a single Elder is the best she can do.

Honestly, I wanted to turn and run without looking back. After all, I was just someone temporarily assigned here.

Unlike the faculty or security officers, I had no obligation to protect the students. No one would blame me for abandoning my post and fleeing. Yes. I could run. I should just run without hesitation…

"Shit."

But my own conscience wouldn't let me. That principle of mine ended up holding me back. I'm a public servant paid by the taxes of the people. It's only right that I earn that pay when those very people are in danger. Besides, when people are screaming for help right in front of me, it's only natural to step in.

"Students! This way! Come this way!"

Flames were rising everywhere, but the most severe fires were concentrated around the main building. That must be where the most dangerous enemies were advancing from. I led the students toward the opposite side, where the theory classrooms were located.

I just needed to hold out for a little while. By now, this chaos must have been reported outside. Reinforcements would arrive soon. And here, we had Han Jiyoon and Ma Hakjun. Soon enough, they'd drive the villains away. I just needed to endure until then.

"Kyaaah!!"  

"Uwaah!!"

While I was evacuating people, panicked screams erupted from one side. Several students appeared, covered in blood.

I was about to call them over to safety when—

Zzzt—

A sharp sensation, as if needles pricked every inch of my skin. Someone was approaching through the flames and smoke.

At first, I thought it was another injured student. Their appearance was wretched, and they were dragging a leg.

But the moment I saw the ominous air around them and the blood-soaked spear in their hand, I realized—

- Activating the Third Eye. -

? Kwak Hyuk  

The One Who Died in Arrogance

? Details  

?? Warning – Dangerous Individual  

?? Warning – Dangerous Individual  

?? Warning – Dangerous Individual

…I'm screwed.

I remembered. That ghostly figure, soaked as if drowned, dragging a leg, wielding a spear.

Nothing about him was clearly known. Some said he was betrayed, others claimed he was an experimental subject who escaped. No one knew for sure. Whether he was truly betrayed or subjected to experiments.

But one thing was certain. The man approaching was an Elder. Without being an S-rank superhuman, defeating him was utterly impossible.

"Help me!"

Maybe if I ran away now without looking back, I could survive. That thought briefly crossed my mind when I heard a strangely familiar voice.

A female student was crawling away desperately in front of the Elder. Her face was familiar. She was the student who had apologized to me earlier.

I hesitated.  

If it were a complete stranger, I might have turned away. But realizing she was someone I had met today—even briefly—made me pause.

What do I do? What should I do?

There was still some distance between the Elder and the girl. Though the gap was narrowing, if I sprinted at full speed, I might be able to save her.

That split-second hesitation felt like an eternity.

The Elder ignored everything else and advanced solely toward the girl. As I debated, standing between the pleading girl and the looming Elder—

? Warning  

An unqualified individual is attempting to cross the sacred Silver threshold.

- Silver Gatekeeper trait forcibly activated. -

At first, I didn't understand what that meant. But then, a hypothesis flashed through my mind.

…No way.

This was the very spot where the Silver advancement test had been taking place. The incident broke out right when I was about to test Lee Hyunwoo. In other words, the approaching Elder had trespassed into the examination grounds without permission.

Step— Step—

I began to walk forward, one step at a time. The thought of running away faded. The fear of dying flickered but quickly vanished.

I didn’t know where this confidence was coming from. Maybe I was just crazy. Completely insane.

But ignoring someone I had briefly met… That didn’t sit right with me.

"Move."

Before I knew it, I was standing between the girl and the Elder.

An underqualified superhuman blocking an Elder? Unless I had a death wish, this was unthinkable.

I glanced at the Elder.  

Cold sweat dripped down my back.

The figure was terrifying beyond words. His appearance was horrific, but the ominous aura surrounding him was far worse. Blood, dripping from the spear, carried the screams of the dead.

So this is what it feels like to face death itself.

"Move."

The Elder spoke again without even glancing at me. His eyes were fixed solely on the girl behind me—Kim Suhyeon.

In that moment, pieces of information clicked in my mind.

A genius consumed by inferiority. Villain invasion. A girl the Elder was obsessed with.

…I see. I get it now. That girl, Kim Suhyeon, is the ‘Crimson Witch’!

Lee Hyunwoo’s first moment of glory had been during this villain assault. Fighting fiercely despite injuries, standing out as the true protagonist.

On that very day, a female student was kidnapped and brainwashed into becoming a villain. Her ruthless nature and overwhelming power earned her the code name Crimson Witch.

She would later become the protagonist’s worst enemy, relentlessly tormenting him and his allies.

I didn’t recognize her since the name wasn’t mentioned, but… Kim Suhyeon is the Crimson Witch! It’s her!

Now I had one more reason to step up.

The Crimson Witch was infamous for her brutality. Wherever she appeared, only corpses remained—no survivors. Eventually, she would invade Seoul, causing over 500,000 deaths.

And now, the Elder was here to take Kim Suhyeon. If I stepped aside now, I’d be handing over hundreds of thousands of lives. Knowing that and still turning away… that wouldn’t make me human.

? Warning  

An unqualified individual is attempting to cross the sacred Silver threshold.

- Silver Gatekeeper trait forcibly activated. -

And this constant warning was also weighing on my mind.

"I'm sorry."

Yeah. I don’t know anymore. There was only one answer.

"I can't let you pass."

I glanced back at Kim Suhyeon. With a nod, I signaled toward the group of students gathering nearby.

"Ah..."

Kim Suhyeon instinctively tried to run but stopped and looked at me. She wasn’t the Crimson Witch yet, so she still had a human heart. She hesitated. She felt guilty. Her expression seemed to ask if it was okay to leave like this.

"Hurry up and go."  

"Y-Yes...!"

As I turned my head, my eyes met the ghost’s. That cowardly instinct crept back up. I should've ignored this. Why did I step in?

"Move."

As if confirming my hesitation, the ghost slowly parted his lips. I instinctively knew this would be his final warning. And unfortunately, I had only one answer to give.

"I'm sorry."  

"...I see."

The moment he heard my answer, the ghost raised his spear with full force. Only then did I realize the madness of what I had done.

To show this kind of defiance in front of an Elder… I must have completely lost my mind.

BOOM—!!

"Uaaaaah!!"

Lee Hyunwoo let out a desperate scream as he took down yet another villain. Breathing heavily, he scanned his surroundings.

The academy was already a wasteland. Flames and smoke shot up everywhere, making it hard to distinguish friend from foe. Even the students who barely escaped the hellish chaos were still fighting the villains.

"Injured students, retreat immediately! Weapon and martial arts divisions, don't fall back!"  

"Support division, gather here! We need to treat the wounded immediately!!"  

"The fire's spreading! Magic division, we need water spells now!!"

At first, everyone was in a complete panic, but they quickly composed themselves and resumed their duties.

The students formed defensive lines centered around their evacuation points. The combat divisions fought off the villains, while the others cared for the injured. Soon, the remaining professors and security personnel joined in, strengthening the defense line.

Until that man—looking like a drowned corpse—appeared.

BOOM—!!

The man limped forward after blasting away the examiner who blocked his path. His approach was slow, painfully slow, yet it felt like the embodiment of inevitable death.

"Students! Fall back immediately!"

The professors urgently ordered the students to retreat. Lee Hyunwoo saw it—the fear on their faces.

These were professors who were B-rank or even A-rank superhumans. Veterans with countless real-world combat experiences under their belts. Yet even they were gritting their teeth, filled with tension.

"Hey! Are you okay?"

Nearby, a female student was supporting another injured girl. Her leg was severely wounded, and her face was ghostly pale from blood loss.

"I-I'm sorry. It's... it's my fault. I'm so sorry..."

The girl who barely escaped with her life sobbed uncontrollably, apologizing over and over.

"We have a severely injured student here! Please, treat her quickly!"

Even as she was carried away, she kept muttering apologies without end. Watching her for a moment, Lee Hyunwoo turned his gaze forward.

Even as a mere Bronze-ranked student, he could vaguely sense it. The man approaching now was a monster. No, something far worse.

Everyone here will die. Without even a chance to scream, they will all be slaughtered.

"..."

But then, the approaching man paused and slowly turned his body.  

After a moment of silence, he let out something between a sigh and a sneer.

"...What are you?"

From between the flames and the wreckage, someone was crawling out. Slowly standing up, the figure looked terrible. His entire body was drenched in blood, and one shoulder dangled as if dislocated.

"Me?"

Yet, his eyes burned brighter than the surrounding flames.

"I'm the Silver-Rank Examiner."