I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius

I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius – 86

EP.86 New Heart, New Start (7)

A woman in a black robe suddenly appeared on top of the alley wall.

Selev, a high-ranking member of the Red Cross Society and an [A] rank demon.

She was undoubtedly here to kidnap Park Shin-hye.

But.

“If you want to take her, you’ll have to get through me first!!!!!”

Kang Seo-jun had no intention of handing Park Shin-hye over to the demons anymore.

To steal the trait 《Heir of Taesan》 through the skill 《Parasitic Growth》, Park Shin-hye needed to focus on her training more than ever.

Anyone who disrupted her training would be eliminated by Kang Seo-jun.

“Park Shin-hye!!! This time, don’t run away like before!!!”

“…Ugh!”

By “before,” he meant when they were attacked by the gay demons in the forest.

Of course, Park Shin-hye had no intention of running away and leaving Kang Seo-jun alone this time.

She had run away last time and ended up in her current predicament after being captured by the demons.

No matter how much of a troublemaker she was within the Taesan Group, she wasn’t foolish enough to repeat the mistake that had brought her to rock bottom.

But that wasn’t the only reason she didn’t want to leave Kang Seo-jun’s side.

‘Why…’

Park Shin-hye looked up at the back of Kang Seo-jun’s head with trembling eyes, filled with confusion.

“Just stay behind me!!!”

Kang Seo-jun’s broad back seemed to say.

Why was he going to such lengths for her?

‘Why on earth…’

-‘It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me!!! I’ll help you!!!’

Kang Seo-jun had said he would help her.

He claimed that obstacles in group projects or class competitions would hinder his aim for the top spot.

‘But…’

If that were truly the reason, wouldn’t it be much easier to just let her die?

If she were captured by the demons and disappeared, there would be no one to hinder the team, and he wouldn’t have to bother taking care of a troublesome person like her.

‘But why…’

Thinking back, it was the same when they were attacked by the gay demons in the forest.

He had intervened in a battle that was clearly disadvantageous to him, as if it were the most natural thing to do.

‘And…’

Just like now, Kang Seo-jun had stood in front of her, showing his back, and protected her from the gay demons.

‘It doesn’t make sense….’

Helping her because obstacles in group projects or class competitions would be troublesome?

Then why not just let her die?

Why did he help her when they were attacked by the gay demons?

‘…Why are you helping me? Why… are you protecting me?’

There would be no reward.

Only losses.

‘…Why…?’

Park Shin-hye was genuinely curious about his true intentions.

She was so curious, so curious that…

‘I can’t leave Kang Seo-jun alone…!’

Until she knew the reason, she couldn’t let Kang Seo-jun die or get hurt.

“…Ugh! Ugh! Haa…! Haa…!”

Her trauma from the demons triggered a panic attack, causing hyperventilation and her vision to blur.

“Don’t act like you’re the only one who can do this! Haa…! Haa…!”

Park Shin-hye desperately moved her body to stand beside Kang Seo-jun.

Then she slowly released her hand from her chest, clenched her fists, and took a fighting stance.

But…

“Just stay behind me!!!!”

– Thud! –

“Ugh, ugh!!”

Kang Seo-jun forcefully pushed Park Shin-hye back, making her once again a helpless bystander.

“Haa…! Haa…! Haa…!”

Fighting together was indeed impossible.

– Thud! –

Park Shin-hye’s legs gave out due to hyperventilation, and she collapsed behind Kang Seo-jun.

“…Sigh.”

Kang Seo-jun clicked his tongue silently as he looked at her, then turned his gaze back to Selev.

“You! I don’t know how you managed to steal our information….”

Selev, in her black robe, pointed at Kang Seo-jun and shouted, but her words didn’t reach him.

He was too preoccupied with figuring out how to overcome this crisis.

‘I can’t use 《Counter Time》.’

The skill 《Counter Time》 had already been used on Kuyamoto Kenji in the morning, so it was on cooldown until midnight.

‘Moreover, Selev’s demon specs are [A] rank. Far higher than my current [C+] rank.’

If [C+] rank was akin to Captain America without his shield, [A] rank was comparable to Spider-Man in terms of physical abilities.

To put it simply, a [C+] rank would need to use their entire body to lift a car, while an [A] rank could throw a car with just one arm.

In other words, with Kang Seo-jun’s current specs, a direct confrontation with Selev was impossible.

And that wasn’t the only unfavorable condition.

‘Selev didn’t come alone. There are other demons hiding nearby.’

Through the Eye of Providence, he confirmed there were a staggering 36 demons.

Fortunately, most of them were of a lower rank than Kang Seo-jun, but there were still 9 demons of [B-] rank or higher, stronger than him.

‘Well, this should still be manageable.’

As always, Kang Seo-jun had a plan.

The opportunity was while Selev was still talking.

“If you surrender and come with us now, I can guarantee your life….”

While Selev was spouting nonsense, Kang Seo-jun quickly opened the Dimensional Shop to purchase the necessary item.

He had bought so many items from the shop that it took him less than 3 seconds to get what he wanted.

The Dimensional Shop had no loading time whatsoever.

If he could move his fingers faster, he might even reduce the time to under a second in the future.

‘If they had ambushed me immediately, I would’ve had no answer. Selev bought me time. Now that I have this, the demons have no chance of winning.’

The item Kang Seo-jun purchased from the Dimensional Shop was a bubbling red potion.

──────《Item》──────

▶Potion of Power Concentration

◆Grade:

[Rare+]

◆Description:

A potion developed by a royal alchemist of a certain kingdom. It allows the user to exceed their limits at the most critical moment of the day. When consumed cold, it tastes like pomegranate; when consumed hot, it tastes like spicy broth. The effect is the same when consumed lukewarm, but the taste is not guaranteed.

Upon use, all of the user’s stats are doubled for 5 minutes.

After use, all stats are halved for 12 hours. Sleeping during this period can help recover stats faster.

Stats above 30 do not benefit from the item’s effect.

─────────────────

It was a doping potion that doubled all his stats for 5 minutes.

“Slurp!”

– Gulp! Gulp! –

Without hesitation, Kang Seo-jun downed the potion in one go.

“W-What?!”

Selev, who had been in the middle of her speech, was taken aback when Kang Seo-jun suddenly pulled out something and drank it, her eyes widening in shock.

“W-What!? You!? What are you doing!?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

– Bubble bubble bubble. –

“Ugh…”

The taste was far from pleasant.

It was like drinking pomegranate soda mixed with ramen seasoning.

Kang Seo-jun forced himself to swallow, suppressing the urge to vomit.

The effects began to manifest quickly.

– Bubble bubble bubble. –

Suddenly, his stomach bubbled and vibrated, the sensation spreading from his abdomen throughout his entire body.

Soon, his blood vessels and skin began to bubble as well.

It wasn’t just the potion’s effect.

──────《Trait》──────

▶Downtown Reconstruction Serum (Full Body) Lv. Legendary

The body is reconstructed into a superhuman form proportional to the increase in stats.

────────────────

As his stats doubled rapidly due to the potion, his body was being reconstructed to match.

– Crack! Snap! Crack! –

“Ugh! Grrr! Grrrr!!!”

His massive muscles swelled and contracted repeatedly.

His joints dislocated and reconnected, and his bones broke and healed over and over.

“Haa…! Hah, haaa!!!”

“W-What is that thing!!!”

As always, Kang Seo-jun’s transformation was a sight that tested the sanity of the living.

Both ally Park Shin-hye and enemy Selev were equally horrified in this moment.

“Everyone!! A-Attack! Attack now! Capture that monster!!!!!”

Feeling the urgency, Selev commanded the demons waiting in the shadows to move.

– Crack! Crackle! –

– Thud thud thud! Thud thud thud! –

From the bushes on the hillside and the alley entrance, 36 demons sprang out and charged at Kang Seo-jun.

“Haa…! Hah…! Haa…!!”

Park Shin-hye’s panic attack worsened at the sight.

Demons wielding various weapons rushed in quickly.

One demon raised a massive battle axe high and swung it down towards Kang Seo-jun’s head.

– Kwaaaang! –

However….

“Y-You, you, you bastards are attacking me during my transformation??????????”

Although his movements were restricted during the transformation, Kang Seo-jun’s stats had already….

◆Stats:

[Strength: 19 → 30], [Agility: 19 → 30]

[Endurance: 18 → 30], [Resistance: 18 → 30]

[Health: 20 → 30], [Mana: 19 → 30]

[Sense: 18 → 30], [Intelligence: 18 → 30]

[Willpower: 33 → 33], [Luck: 50 → 50]

His stats had already soared to the potion’s limit.

Kang Seo-jun’s current specs were at [A++].

No, actually.

◆Traits:

[Eye of Providence Lv. Transcendent], [Dimensional Shop Lv. Transcendent], [Favored One Lv. Transcendent], [Downtown Reconstruction Serum (Full Body) Lv. Legendary], [Mana Manipulation Lv. Rare+], [Extreme Yang Body Lv. Rare+], [Extreme Yin Body Lv. Rare+], [Light Attribute Magic Lv. Rare], [Dark Attribute Magic Lv. Rare], [Spirit Resonance (Earth) Lv. Rare], [Innate Martial Body Lv. Rare], [2nd Circle Lv. Common]………

Including all the physical buffs and attribute magic, his specs were easily at [S] rank.

– Kwachang!!! –

When Kang Seo-jun grabbed the demon’s battle axe and applied a bit of force, the steel weapon shattered like a cookie.

“Ugh, ugh!!”

The demon, now holding only the axe handle, witnessed the unbelievable strength and staggered back.

But it was far too late to escape.

– Crack! Crack! –

“Yooouuuuu bastards!!!! Attacking me during my transformation!!!!!!??!?!!?!!?!??!?!?!!!???? This makes me angry!!!!!!! Wooooooaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

His rage, amplified by his stats, exploded.

The moment had come for [S rank] Kang Seo-jun’s massacre to begin.