I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius

I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius – 56

EP.56 This is My True Self (4)

“…No… Who really are you to do this here…? Let’s at least introduce yourself.”

At Park Seo-yoon’s words, Kang Seo-jun shook his head.

“Who I am is not important.”

– Groan! –

– Crack! –

Crouching down, Kang Seo-jun groaned as he stood up.

The sound from his knees was like an old tree falling.

Taking a few steps away from her, Kang Seo-jun continued.

“What’s important is your choice.”

He pointed to the torn scraps of paper.

The information about the ‘Red Cross Society’ and ‘Park Shin-hoo’s location’ that Kang Seo-jun had handed over just moments before.

“Those pieces. They haven’t been burned, so you can still piece them together and read it.”

Park Seo-yoon alternated her gaze between the scraps and Kang Seo-jun, her eyes and mouth twitching.

Her expression indicated she needed more explanation.

‘Who are you, why are you giving us this information, what is your ulterior motive?’

However, Kang Seo-jun did not offer any further explanation.

No, he could not explain.

Not even his own identity as nothing more than the weakest student at the academy.

Kang Seo-jun also had the objective of sowing discord between the Taesan Group and the Red Cross Society to reap the benefits.

Revealing this would mean facing both formidable forces head-on.

That’s why Kang Seo-jun chose to flee at this point.

“Hmm.”

Kang Seo-jun checked the time with the Eye of Providence.

It was well past midnight.

──────《Item》──────

▶Dimensional Shop Teleport Scroll

This item can be used only once a day, and its availability resets at midnight.

─────────────────

Now that the teleport cooldown had reset, it was time to leave.

“I’ll say it one more time, if you ignore my information, your brother will die.”

Kang Seo-jun left a final earnest warning before turning his back.

“Wait a minute…!”

As the man showed signs of leaving, Park Seo-yoon hurriedly got up and reached out.

– Flash! –

“Ugh!”

But the man disappeared in an instant, evaporating with a flash of light.

– Whizzing… –

– Flutter… –

All that was left in the man’s place was a lingering breeze, dust, and fluttering papers.

Park Seo-yoon watched the scene in vain and then gritted her teeth in frustration.

– Gnash! –

“What kind of bullshit is this!”

He just shows up out of nowhere, knocks her down, tosses some information at her, and leaves without any explanation?

Even if he is a top-tier figure from the pinnacle of the towers, is it really okay to be this random?

She is the guild leader of a major corporation with considerable influence in Korea!

He’s treating her like some common thug off the streets!

– Cough! –

“Ugh….”

Getting angry only made the pain in her throat worse.

Only then did Park Seo-yoon notice the torn scraps of paper.

“Damn it…! When will I gather all of this!”

Park Seo-yoon hurriedly began to collect the pieces she had torn to shreds.

The information from the man was still dubious, but it was the only clue she had at the moment.

Now that it was revealed the man was a possessor of light attribute magic, a natural enemy of Demons, it was worth investigating.

But…

“Who on earth is he? Someone with that level of skill should definitely be in the database… The voice was definitely male. He was quite large in stature. What other features were there…”

Then Park Seo-yoon’s hand suddenly stopped.

“Skin….”

The glimpse of skin he had seen beneath the man’s white mask.

Skin covered with reddish blemishes and dark scars.

For a moment, a man’s images flashed through Park Seo-yoon’s mind.

“Kang Seo-jun…”

The man who had a dispute with her brother, Park Shin-hoo, during the academy entrance exam.

Park Seo-yoon furrowed her brow and blinked rapidly.

Then she shook his head.

‘No… It can’t be. The build was different, the voice was different, and Kang Seo-jun’s skin was in worse condition.’

But…

The images of Kang Seo-jun wouldn’t easily fade from Park Seo-yoon’s mind.

The more she thought about it, the more the atmosphere seemed to eerily overlap.

Especially…

‘The feel of his hand when he hit me…’

The attack that effortlessly penetrated her self-defense skills.

It was all too similar to the sensation she had felt when Kang Seo-jun had hit her before.

Could this really be a mere coincidence?

– Shaking her head! –

‘No! It’s not possible!’

Park Seo-yoon vigorously shook her head to clear the distracting thoughts.

Right now, her brother was in a critical situation, having been kidnapped by Demons.

There was no time to be lost in such distractions.

Investigating the man or Kang Seo-jun could wait until after the situation was resolved.

“Quickly. Quickly…! I tore it up so finely! Damn it!”

Filled with frustration, Park Seo-yoon regretted tearing the paper as she quickly gathered the pieces.

Yet, even as she did so, the images of Kang Seo-jun incessantly haunted her mind.

====

***

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As soon as Park Seo-yoon had collected all the torn scraps, he began the investigation.

The address written on the paper was a cathedral located on the outskirts of Stellaport.

Park Seo-yoon sent people to check the place and confirmed the presence of a significant amount of magical energy in the building’s basement.

“There really were Demons there.”

Now that the location of the Demons was determined, the next course of action was clear.

To storm into their hideout, slaughter the Demons, and rescue Park Shin-hoo.

However, there was still no certainty that this wasn’t a trap.

“Sigh….”

This operation involved eighty percent of the Taesan Group’s hunters, a major operation.

Walking into a trap could cause incalculable damages to the Taesan Group, so extreme caution was necessary.

What was troubling was the substantial magical energy detected in the cathedral’s basement.

There was no guarantee that it wasn’t a bomb.

“Ha… Damn…”

– Tick! Tock! –

Even as she pondered, time continued to march on.

It was now early morning.

The all-nighter had passed, and the morning sun was rising.

Park Seo-yoon bit her nails in agitation.

The information given by the man was currently the only lead.

It was not something she could simply ignore.

But she also couldn’t send in eighty percent of the Taesan Group’s hunters into a place that might be a trap.

“This is really messed up….”

Park Seo-yoon sighed and was about to take a cigar from the shelf when it happened.

– Boom! –

Someone burst into the office as if they were going to break down the door.

“Gu, Guild Master! It’s a disaster!”

“What, what the hell! Damn it!”

Park Seo-yoon was startled, dropping the cigar and scowling.

“What now, all of a sudden!”

As if her headache wasn’t bad enough, these people couldn’t leave her alone for even a second.

“The Ch, Chairman….”

“Chairman? Dad? What about Dad?”

“No! The honorary cha….”

“What? Speak clearly, will you? Damn it, what’s going on?”

– Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! –

Then, as the entire office shook with vibrations, heavy footsteps grew closer and closer.

Park Seo-yoon stood up from his chair and shouted.

“What the hell is that!?”

“The honorary chairman is coming!”

“What?”

– Boom! –

“Aaaah!!!”

As Park Seo-yoon retorted, someone smashed through the office door.

Naturally, the employee standing in front of the door was sent flying and crashed to the floor.

– Rumble… –

Rising dust. Concrete powder pouring down.

Park Seo-yoon frowned and glared towards the door.

“Damn it! What! Who?”

Then, seeing the face of the person who entered, her expression turned to one of shock.

“Grandfather!?”

The large elderly man who had barged into the office.

Bronze skin, white hair, and beard like a lion’s mane.

Eyes blazing like golden flames.

The honorary chairman of the Taesan Group and an S+ class hunter known by the nickname “Mountain Lord.”

It was Park Tae-ho.

“Seo-yoonaaaaaaa!!!”

Park Tae-ho roared with an incredible volume.

– Rumble… –

“Aaaah!”

“Ugh…”

With a roar, the dust in the vicinity was instantly scattered out the windows.

“Grandfather?! Why are you here?!”

Park Seo-yoon looked at Park Tae-ho with surprised eyes.

Currently, all of the Taesan Group’s strongest forces were at the top of the tower.

They were preparing for an important operation in collaboration with several major powers.

Naturally, as the leading figure of the Taesan Group, Park Tae-ho should also be at the top of the tower.

“I came down as soon as I heard about Shin-hoo!”

“The tower! What about the tower?!”

“Your mother and father are there, so it should be fine for about a week. But more importantly!”

Park Tae-ho grabbed the employee who was lying on the floor by the scruff of the neck and lifted him up.

“Who kidnapped my precious grandson!!! Speak!!!!”

– Shake! Shake! Shake! Shake! –

“Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!”

As Park Tae-ho shook the employee like a rag doll, the employee gasped for air.

“Grandfather! Stop it! He doesn’t know anything!”

Park Seo-yoon quickly intervened before the employee passed out.

“More importantly, it’s good that you’re here! Please help us right away!”

Park Seo-yoon thought she was in luck.

If her grandfather joined them, what would a mere trap matter?

Her grandfather was a strong enough figure to survive even if he fell into a dragon’s belly.

With him, they could easily break through any trap the Demons might have set.

“I know where the kidnappers holding Shin-hoo are!”

At those words, Park Tae-ho looked at his granddaughter with pride in his eyes.

“Indeed, my granddaughter is capable! I came prepared to wait at least three days!”

Park Seo-yoon smiled bitterly.

“…I was just lucky.”

Park Seo-yoon deliberately didn’t mention that she had received the information from the mysterious man.

If she went into detail about the encounter, her grandfather would surely seek to kill that man as well.

Right now, she wanted to focus on one problem only.

“Anything is fine. There’s no need to delay.”

Park Tae-ho tightened the strap of the large shield on his left arm.

He had arrived fully armed, ready for battle.

Even his face and armor had dried blood on them, as if he had rushed here directly after fighting in the tower without even washing.

To others, his appearance might be terrifying, but to his granddaughter Park Seo-yoon, there was nothing more reassuring.

“Just tell me the place.”

Park Tae-ho’s golden eyes blazed with refined anger.

“I’ll make a round first, so take your time and bring the kids.”

“Yes! Grandfather!”

With Park Tae-ho stepping in, the fate of the Demons seemed all but sealed.

Bodies would pile up like mountains.

And those bodies would directly become dimensional currency for Kang Seo-jun.

Everything was going according to Kang Seo-jun’s plan.