The Academy's Deceased Ate It All

It was literally an instant.While the guys were excitedly talking about something, I quietly spread Henir’s Shadow here and there.Then, as if to surround them so that they could not escape, I opened a portal and shot out the branches of the World Tree at once.It was simple yet powerful.The downside was that it took some time to prepare, but even considering that, it was an attack well worth using.“Ko, hook… !”In fact, three of the four who were talking about catching and killing us or becoming apostles themselves were pierced by the branches of the World Tree without being able to do anything.However, unlike his subordinates, the man who was leading them managed to avoid instant death, but since his limbs had been pierced by one of the branches of the world tree, it was as if it was already over.As long as I had the branch of the World Tree, they and I were placed in a perfect hierarchical relationship.“… Huh?”Lee Yu-Na, who was on guard after creating several weapons in the air, stared blankly at the scene.What surprised me was that Han Soo-Young and Choi Hyun-Woo seemed the same.I walked to him without saying a word.As I did, I extended the branch of the World Tree further and inserted it into various parts of his body.Then, as if the branch of the World Tree had been waiting for it, it began to devour his power.[Branches of the World Tree absorb a large amount of nutrients!]Ignoring the notification window that appeared in front of me, I knelt down on one knee and pulled up his robe.He seemed to be the same age as me in the original world.“Ki, ll…… .”“I’ll kill you even if you don’t say it.”As I answered, I reached out and grabbed the man’s hair.As I lifted him up, his expression twisted in pain.“Before that, let me ask you a few questions.”“You think I will tell…… Argh!”“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.”When I moved the branch of the World Tree so that it wavered once, his whole body trembled as if he had a disease.Looking at it, I slammed his head down hard, then he shut his mouth as if he had lost consciousness.I knew he wasn’t going to tell me anyway, and the fact that they had come with exactly with four people meant that this pendant was probably the objective.In the sequel, it was mentioned that they would come after interpreting the data scattered all over the place, and it was the same here.“Lee Yu-Na.”“Huh?”“Can you come and make a chain or something to tie this guy up?”“Uh, yeah. I can do that.”I was going to kill him just like that, but then I changed my mind and asked Lee Yu-Na.The Thorns Cross Society had been quiet since the Guild Invitational.If I left him to the association or Lee Myung-Joon, it might be possible to extract some information.I had already taken all the power using the World Tree and made him inferior to ordinary people, so there was no need to worry.When I pulled out the branch of the World Tree from his body, who had lost consciousness, he flinched and fell.“Eug…… .”Lee Yu-Na, who gave a rough first aid by spraying potions on his tattered body, began to restrain his body firmly with a chain.I’ll have to drag him first.Thinking like that, I looked around and saw Choi Hyun-Woo looking at me with an indescribable expression.“Ji-Hyuk…… This.”He had a complicated expression on his face as he looked at the other three members of the Thorns Cross Society who had died in an instant.After hesitating for a while, it was when he took a step toward me as if he had made up his mind.“… Soo-Young?”“Don’t say anything.”Han Soo-Young suddenly grabbed his arm as if to tell him to stop.She stared at Choi Hyun-Woo and shook her head slowly.“…… .”Choi Hyun-Woo made eye contact with Han Soo-Young for a moment and soon nodded as if he understood.The two were so familiar with each other that they could read each other’s thoughts without having to say a word.“Well then, let’s really go. Those guys…… If I tell the association later, they’ll collect them on their own.”With those words, we exited the dungeon.As I carried him, who was chained, on my back, Choi Hyun-Woo and Lee Yu-Na became cautious of another attack at once, but thankfully there was no sign of it.Originally, these guys would have been in a group, but now they were being hunted, so they seemed to have come in small numbers.Once we were out of the dungeon without any problems, Choi Hyun-Woo opened his mouth in a calm voice as if he had calmed down.“Let’s call the people of the association here first. We don’t need to draw attention to ourselves by carrying him…… around unnecessarily.”It was definitely what he said.Still, just to be safe, I moved a little more and called the association right away.As it was a matter of importance, I was able to receive an answer that people from the association would arrive within a few minutes.“By the way, isn’t the Thorn Cross Society being hunted on a large scale by the Society right now? From what I heard, even the six guilds issued a kill order, so isn’t it a bit noisy?”Lee Yu-Na added, carefully asking Han Soo-Young.“They said that they would give a certain amount of reward money just for providing information…… .”“I know. I didn’t expect to see them like this all of a sudden.”Han Soo-Young answered that and made a complicated expression.“Why on earth…… .”It was in the then.Choi Hyun-Woo got up, noticing someone approaching from afar.“Someone’s coming. People from the association? But it’s too fast… ?”I turned my head hearing his words, and my face almost hardened for a moment.Because a man between them was a man I knew for sure.Dmitry.He was a disciple and henchman of Isaac McDowell, and a man who served as an executive of the Big Watch.When he saw the man of the Thorns Cross society, who was tied to a chain with us, he came close with his eyes shining.“Excuse me. I’d like to ask you something.”“Are you from the association?”When I got up, he looked at me, took something out of his pocket, and handed it to me.It was his business card.“From Urea…… You’re Professor Isaac McDowell’s assistant.”“It’s nice to meet you.”He spoke in a cold, snap tone.“Did you engage the Thorns Cross Society, by any chance?”“Yes. As you can see.”“It looks like you have completely subdued them. That’s a relief.”He said so and looked down at him with contempt.“They stole important data from our professor a few days ago. I found out where they were going and came in such a hurry, but…… I guess I was one step behind.”He paused for a moment and then opened his mouth carefully, as if this was his main point.“By any chance, did you find something in their body… ? Or is there something else you found in the dungeon?”His gaze seemed to be looking over me, and I answered without avoiding it.He was sure of everything anyway.“First of all, I haven’t searched their bodies. If there is something, it’ll be still there, right? And there’s something I got from the dungeon, but it’s nothing much.”“Is that so, do you have any plans to transfer the item to us for a while?”Dmitry still spoke in a business-like tone and slightly bowed his head.“The object in this dungeon was one of the relics that my professor had been looking for for for a long time. It’s a relic worth studying archaeologically and in many ways. Of course, you will be paid a reasonable price, and ownership will remain with you. How about it?”His eyes were still cold saying that.Big Watch is aiming for this, too.I gave a positive answer, saying I would think about it for now.“Actually, I came here at the request of someone I know. I can’t decide on my own right here. Would it be okay if I contact you again later?”“Of course. However, I would like to hear from you as soon as possible.”he added quietly.“The professor is always busy.”“Yes, what. Of course he is.”“Then, see you later.”Dmitry and his companions left as if they had nothing more to do.I glanced at their backs as they left.As I glanced at their backs as they left, the Association people arrived as if they were taking turns.They would wait a few days, but if they think differently, they would immediately try to steal it, or even kill me to take it away.“…… .”Anyway, the Red Case, the Thorn Cross Society, and the Big Watch were enemies that had to be defeated anyway.If I let them live unnecessarily, they would pop up out of nowhere like this and keep getting in my way.And now I have what they want in my hands.Maybe I could use it as bait.If I could make them destroy each other without even having to fight them myself…… .So, while explaining to the people of the association in advance, I calmly started thinking about what to do.It didn’t take long to come to a conclusion.* * *After explaining the situation to the people of the association and handing over the body of the captured Thorns Cross Society official, we headed for the city.It was partly because the dungeon attack had unexpectedly ended too quickly, and partly because it was just time to have a late lunch.After pondering for a while, I took them to an all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurant.Lee Yu-Na who was hesitating and trying to escape on the way, seemed uncomfortable, perhaps because Han Soo-Young grabbed her and dragged her even before I said anything.“Huh? Master is calling?”Then, not long after sitting down, Han Soo-Young looked at her cell phone and muttered.As she stood up, Choi Hyun-woo also naturally stood up.“Sorry, we’ll be back after answering Master’s call.”At that moment, I could see Lee Yu-Na’s eyes shaking relentlessly.When Han Soo-Young and Choi Hyun-Woo excused themselves, she grabbed a pair of chopsticks and began to chew things like kimchi and cabbage.At the sight of her, I let out a sigh involuntarily.And I couldn’t hold back any longer when I saw Lee Yu-Na quickly put down her chopsticks when she heard the sound.“Hey.”“Uh, huh?”Looking at Lee Yu-Na, who was overly surprised, something old was coming to my mind without even realizing it.Eating while reading the room.Nervous while too hung up with making a mistake.Suffering from debt that is not your own.Abandoned by your parents.You have to be careful, you have to be careful, but at some point, being deceived by others.It’s like I was looking at me and my younger sister when we were young.“…This is an unlimited refill restaurant, so you have to pay the same regardless of whether you eat a little or a lot. And of course, it’s right for me to pay, including the three of you, since I’m the one who asked you to come with me for the weekend. So. don’t look around and eat as much as you want.”I began to turn the meat over, deliberately not making eye contact with her.Thinking that after coming to this world, I can eat now out without any worries.“And you and I…… It’s true that something unfortunate happened. You’ve already apologized to me, haven’t you? But why are you being so self-conscious after so many days?”“That’s….. I did something wrong…… .”“Looking back, I didn’t do anything very well either, so don’t be so self-conscious.”Looking at the meat being grilled on fire, my hunger gradually began to grow.And I thought it would be the same for Lee Yu-Na.“The situation, frankly, was enough to make you misunderstand. If I had spoken well in the first place, you wouldn’t have misunderstood me like that.”Having said that, I glanced at her.“And I’m sorry I yelled at you, too. I’m sorry for cursing.”“Yo, you don’t have to apologize…… .”Saying so, she carefully confided her own story.“Anyway, it’s true that I misunderstood you because I didn’t listen to you properly…… Before you yelled out, I didn’t honestly curse, but I said a lot of harsh things. And I made Ye-Seul worry too…… .”“Yeah. It was just that we misunderstood each other.”I picked up the meat with tongs and placed it on the plate in front of her.In the process, I noticed how skinny and small she was compared to others her age.“In other words, you didn’t make such a big mistake except for misunderstanding me. You apologized right away. So let’s just move on from here. Okay?”“Yes…… .”“Then let’s eat first. They…… I think they left their seats on purpose.”After saying that, I started eating the meat first, and Lee Yu-Na also started eating the meat slowly.Not long after, Han Soo-Young and Choi Hyun-Woo returned.They didn’t say a word when they saw us eating first, and naturally blended into the atmosphere.The atmosphere was certainly more relaxed than before, and we continued to eat, talking occasionally.When Choi Hyun-Woo joked that he was too nervous about the dungeon we went to today, but that he felt like he lost something, Han Soo-Young reprimanded him, saying, it was better that it was like this, because if it had been very dangerous, what do you think would have happened?In doing so, the two naturally brought Lee Yu-Na into the middle of the conversation, asking her questions, and guiding her answers.At first, Lee Yu-Na answered curiously, but before long, she started talking on her own and it was then.I heard a cell phone ring.It was my phone.“Sorry, I’ll pick up the phone for a moment.”The person who called was Jin Ye-Seul.When I answered the phone, she asked as if she was letting out a breath.― Yeah, what’s going on?“It’s not a big deal, there’s one thing I need to ask you for permission.”― My permission?There was a loud noise over her phone.Come to think of it, she said that she was busy with some family matters.― Oh sorry. It’s a bit loud, right? There is a party going on today with important sponsors from the morning…… .“Party?”― Yes.She muttered in a rarely complaining voice.— … Usually, he treats me like a child he gave out, but only in times like this he bothers calling me…… .“You look very busy.”— No, I’m not. Ji-Hyuk, you asked me to call you. Of course I have to.“Yeah…… thanks. Actually, what I was going to ask your permission for, remember what Hunter Lee Myung-Joon said before? that, why. He said he would open the warehouse for us and we could bring items from there.”― Oh, yes. I remember.“If it’s okay with you, would is it okay if I go and bring it today? I suddenly have something to do in a hurry. You said you were busy until tomorrow.”―  Yeah, it doesn’t matter.Jin Ye-Seul replied lightly as if to say, why did you ask that?― No, you just take my share, Ji-Hyuk. After all, I only need one thing anyway.I didn’t expect you to agree so easily.I answered with a nod.“Okay. thanks. Enjoy the party.”― Yes. I really hate it, but since is you, Ji-Hyuk, who said it, I’ll try.With those words, the call with Jin Ye-Seul was over.I immediately called Horie Yuzuki, with whom I had exchanged numbers before, and asked her if it would be ok to receive the promised reward today or tomorrow.She replied positively, saying that I was always welcome, that she would be there if I came to the Guild House, and that I could come now.“Okay…… .”I was worried that maybe she would refuse and ask me to come later, but it seemed to be a useless worry.It was when I was about to return to the table since I was done with my business.Booung.My phone vibrated and a notification came that a text message had arrived.It was a message from Jin Ye-Seul.The moment I checked to see what the hell it was, I coughed in surprise.“…… .”The message Jin Ye-Seul had sent showed her in a rather outrageous purple dress.At the end of the message a short sentence was added that read, ‘Does it look good on me?’