Chapter 218
Chapter 218. Graduation
The UN Delegation did not make any significant statements aside from the formalities in their publicly announced investigation results. They had simply covered up the issues that had arisen between Yoo Ji-han and themselves.
Watching their announcement praising Yoo Ji-han as an outstanding hero to the point of exhaustion, the person involved, Yoo Ji-han, couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Are you really just going to let this slide?”
“Yes. The advantages are all on our side anyway.”
Kim Si-hu and Min Yu-ri had been briefed by Yoo Ji-han on the events that transpired. Both of them were furious about the ridiculous actions of the delegation.
However, after calming his party members down, Yoo Ji-han decided to keep the incident under wraps as previously agreed.
‘It’s a fun little gain, after all.’
In Yoo Ji-han’s hand was a silver necklace.
With the help of Kim Si-hu and Nam Ho-yeol, they confirmed in detail that the white ornament attached to the necklace was definitely made from the bones of a hyper dragon.
Given that they also brought back an expensive sword as a bonus, it could be considered a big profit from the negotiation.
‘It’s a shame the sword isn’t my style.’
The sword had a gentle curve instead of a straight blade, differing slightly from the type Yoo Ji-han usually used.
Since it was lacking for his usual use, he planned to sell it or find another way to utilize it.
“What are you going to do with the dragon bones?”
“I was initially thinking about making equipment out of them… but it seems like Ho-yeol doesn’t think that’s possible.”
The amount of bones was grossly insufficient for crafting equipment. There were results that indicated high failure rates even when using the bones of a whole hyper dragon for artifact creation.
Regrettably, they had to quickly abandon the idea of making equipment.
“I’ll give it to Yu-ri.”
“Me?”
Yoo Ji-han detached the hyper dragon’s bones from the necklace and handed them to Min Yu-ri.
“Please consider using this for arrows.”
The suggestion was to put the bones into the tips of magic arrows and shoot them. Given that the item was taken from a Rank 1 Monster’s corpse, there was a vague hope that they could harness the monster’s power.
Min Yu-ri nodded in understanding and tucked the hyper dragon’s bones into her belongings.
“Let’s head out.”
After leaving the office, Yoo Ji-han’s party moved to the Hero Academy classroom located on another floor of the same building.
An announcement regarding the resumption of the Hero Academy for young heroes, which had been temporarily halted after the expedition, was scheduled to take place there.
At that moment, Yoo Ji-han spotted a familiar face among the crowd heading to his classroom.
“James Kang?”
“Oh! Yoo Ji-han!”
James Kang, a promising member of the Ladies Guild, who was participating in the Hero Academy.
As soon as he spotted Yoo Ji-han, he put on an extremely delighted face.
Approaching with his party members, he said to Yoo Ji-han,
“I really enjoyed your movie.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m just really regretful that I couldn’t participate in the expedition…”
James Kang, who couldn’t join the expedition due to personal circumstances, looked quite unfortunate.
If he had participated, he would have fought alongside Yoo Ji-han in Yeosu as a member of the Ladies Guild.
“This is something I will regret for a long time.”
“There will be future opportunities.”
“Haha! I believe so too.”
With a light chuckle, James Kang entered the classroom along with Yoo Ji-han’s party.
The seats in the classroom were already half-filled with students from the existing third intake of the Hero Academy.
“That’s Yoo Ji-han’s party.”
“Sigh, I’m so jealous…”
“I should have gotten closer.”
The students gazing at Yoo Ji-han’s party all wore expressions of envy.
Just a few weeks ago, they had not been that different from each other.
However, since the expedition, their recognition had skyrocketed, creating a gap in status that the new intake of academy students couldn’t hope to match.
“Minah!”
Go Mina’s party from the Ladies Guild.
Yoo Ji-han walked over to her, someone he had attended classes with at the Hero Academy.
But Go Mina flustered as she saw Yoo Ji-han approaching.
She couldn’t even look at him directly.
“Sis! What’s wrong?”
“Get a grip!”
With the encouragement of her party members, Go Mina awkwardly smiled at Yoo Ji-han.
As he got right next to her, she tightly pressed her lips together.
Noticing her strange reaction, Yoo Ji-han asked,
“What’s the matter?”
“Uh, well…”
“…?”
“Ji-han has become so amazing that it’s a little hard for me to act chummy…”
Go Mina had been greatly impressed by his performance when Yoo Ji-han’s first movie was released.
But since they had shown a sequel, they had reached a completely different level now.
It felt awkward and difficult to feign closeness as they had before when they were attending classes together.
It was like seeing a neighborhood friend who had risen to become a famous celebrity.
“Chilla! It’s those guys from back then, right?”
Chilla recalled when Go Mina’s party clung to him.
Upon hearing Chilla’s voice, the members of Go Mina’s party turned their heads sharply.
“Chilla!”
“Ugh, so cute!”
“Just one hug, please!”
“Ugh! Annoying creatures! Come here!”
Chilla grumbled while stretching out his arms to hug one person at a time.
He would treat those who showed him affection with the appropriate regard.
Thanks to that, the classroom, which had been quiet until Yoo Ji-han’s party arrived, burst into a lively atmosphere for a while.
“Hyung, hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“Over there.”
Kim Si-hu pointed to the entrance of the classroom.
Moon Kyung-jin’s party was entering through the widely opened door.
“……”
“……”
They made eye contact with Yoo Ji-han, who was looking at them.
However, they couldn’t say a word and simply turned their heads away.
Though they had always displayed irritation and hostility toward Yoo Ji-han whenever they met, there was no particular reaction this time.
“Hello, everyone!”
“Instructor Jin Seok-woo!”
The last to enter was their instructor, Jin Seok-woo.
After the expedition, he displayed great delight in meeting with the students again.
“I’ve been incredibly busy running around in Seoul for a while. I imagine you all haven’t been too different from me. Thank you for all your hard work.”
After lightly greeting the students, Jin Seok-woo looked at his mobile phone and said,
“I’ll first relay a few announcements before classes resume tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“The curriculum at the Hero Academy will undergo some changes. You can expect an increase in the proportion of team battles over monster hunting. And…”
Jin Seok-woo looked towards Yoo Ji-han’s party and continued.
“Those who have read the guidebook thoroughly will remember the early graduation system of the Hero Academy.”
It was the option for parties that reached Rank 2 after joining the academy to graduate early.
Though he didn’t directly name anyone, it wasn’t hard to tell who he was referring to.
*
After sending off their party members, Moon Kyung-jin and Min Ju-yong engaged in conversation.
“Ju-yong, did you see that guy’s face?”
“……”
“That arrogant brat. Trying to show off by puffing out his chest!”
At Moon Kyung-jin’s words downgrading Yoo Ji-han, Min Ju-yong sighed.
The status of Yoo Ji-han’s party had dramatically changed from just a short while ago.
As they had become rising stars, the buzz around them had become unquenchable in the classroom.
On the other hand, for the two who disliked him, remaining silent was the best choice.
“Nobody else is even replying anymore.”
“Such cowardly guys……”
The group formed under Moon Kyung-jin’s lead had previously gathered those who disliked Yoo Ji-han.
However, ever since Yoo Ji-han’s party released their second film, people started to drop out one by one, leaving only Moon Kyung-jin and Min Ju-yong behind.
‘Yu-ri looked as beautiful as ever.’
Min Ju-yong recalled Min Yu-ri’s face as they met in the classroom.
Her unchanged way of speaking and refreshing smile always brightened his heart.
‘My eternal goddess, my happiness…!’
Every time he saw her sitting next to Yoo Ji-han, his heart ached.
It was a shame that she didn’t recognize his feelings.
If he could just show his heart, maybe he could prove his love.
“Ju-yong, are you listening?”
“Uh, yeah, I’m listening.”
Min Ju-yong, whose mind was filled with Min Yu-ri, answered vaguely.
Just then, Moon Kyung-jin looked at him with a serious expression.
“I’m actually thinking of getting the surgery.”
“Surgery?”
“The procedure to replace most of my body, including my arms and legs, with machinery.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
Min Ju-yong’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
While it was unavoidable to replace his leg that had been eaten by a monster with a prosthetic, to replace his perfectly fine body with machinery?
“I don’t want to lose to that guy. Absolutely…!”
To catch up with the gap with Yoo Ji-han, Moon Kyung-jin was willing to take any risks.
*
While Jin Seok-woo was dealing with various announcements,
Yoo Ji-han’s party arrived at his desk.
“Just as I expected, you came.”
“Were you waiting for us?”
“A little bit?”
Jin Seok-woo offered a faint smile.
Currently, Yoo Ji-han’s party was the only one qualified for early graduation in the third intake of the Hero Academy.
Their names had been mentioned several times in internal discussions, so they could receive their diplomas immediately if they made a request.
“Are you going to request early graduation?”
“I will.”
Yoo Ji-han requested early graduation without hesitation.
He had already discussed it with his party members.
Since they planned to step into another world soon, they couldn’t stay at the academy for long.
“It might be better not to graduate early.”
“I think I’m going to be quite busy ahead.”
“While Ji-han might not need it, don’t you think the others could use the classes?”
A rare environment where one could gain various experiences.
It would greatly help, regardless of the party’s rank.
However,
“I will teach them personally.”
“……”
“There were many shortcomings I felt during the expedition. For a while, I plan to focus on improving those.”
If Yoo Ji-han, who had been a part of Kim Hyun-tae’s party, directly trained his party members, it wouldn’t be any less than what the academy instructors could offer.
‘True, it might not be our place to teach.’
There were even rumors circulating among the instructors at the academy that Yoo Ji-han, who entered as a student, might be stronger than the instructors themselves.
——On the contrary, I wanted to learn…
Among those teachers who had been deeply impressed by the movies, there were those who wanted to learn from Yoo Ji-han.
The positions of teacher and student had been reversed.
“Alright. I’ll grant your request.”
In the end, Jin Seok-woo had no choice but to approve their graduation.
After all, he had been anticipating that things would flow this way.
“There won’t be a graduation ceremony for parties that graduate early. Instead, in accordance with tradition, we will give you a gift.”
“What kind of gift?”
“Here, take a look and choose from these.”
Jin Seok-woo handed Yoo Ji-han a pre-printed paper.
It was a list filled with rare items that the Hero Academy possessed.
“You can choose one for each person.”
“This… is rather extravagant. There are also a lot of expensive items here.”
“Hehe! This is all the thanks for eventually selling your names later.”
If they reached the point of early graduation from the Hero Academy, they were undoubtedly talented individuals.
If their status as graduates from the academy was exploited, it would greatly enhance the academy’s fame.
It was not just a gift handed out for free.
“Hey! Can I get a gift too?”
—Then I want one too! I want one!
“Uh……”
Chilla and Sylph, who wanted gifts too, looked at Jin Seok-woo with eager eyes.
Jin Seok-woo made a troubled expression.
“I think I can manage to cover Chilla’s share if I try my best… but I’m afraid it’ll be impossible for the spirit.”
—What?! Are you discriminating against spirits now?
“Chirp! This is my victory!”
—Kyaaaaak!!
The Sylph, who hadn’t received a gift, started rampaging in front of Jin Seok-woo.
“Don’t cause trouble for the instructor.”
—Eek!
Yoo Ji-han gave the bouncing Sylph a light flick on the head.
Then, after a brief discussion with his party members, he pointed to specific items on the list of gifts and said,
“For now, let’s go with this and this. Is that possible?”
“……!”
Jin Seok-woo raised his eyebrows at the items Yoo Ji-han chose.
“Is there a particular reason you’d want those? There are many more expensive and better items above them.”
“It’s hard to get these even if you try to buy them.”
“……You have a good eye.”
Yoo Ji-han had only chosen rare items that were hard to find due to low supply.
Jin Seok-woo admired his discerning eye and silently applauded him.
