I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius

I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius – 23

EP.23 Position (1)

The dump truck accident was swiftly resolved as soon as the police arrived.

The cause of the accident was attributed to AI malfunction, and a promise of compensation from the AI dump truck company’s lawyer was secured.

Perhaps the fact that the involved parties were a Korean Hunter Academy student Jin Se-rin, the heiress of the Seongjin Group, played a favorable role in the smooth resolution.

While my uniform did get a bit dirty, it seemed unnecessary to change clothes as I had simply stumbled on the ground and could brush off the dust.

After what felt like an endlessly long journey, Jin Se-rin and Kang Seo-Jun finally entered the main building of the Korean Hunter Academy.

The lobby of the main building resembled a hotel or building lounge. It seemed to be roughly half the size of a sports field, and the ceiling was easily over 10 meters high.

On the left, there were benches and tables where students could gather and rest, and on the right, several snack shop counters were visible.

Looking up, the structure seemed to have a hole in the middle of the ceiling, reaching up to the sky, giving the impression of a terrace extending in a round shape to the ceiling. Even on the upper floor, many people were bustling about.

The scale and design were no less than a luxurious department store, truly showcasing the status of the Korean Hunter world. The benches in the lobby were occupied by students who had arrived early, forming small groups and engaging in conversations.

As it was the first day of school, it was awkward to be in their own classes, so friends were splitting up and chatting until the ceremony.

[Eye of Providence assist poor hearing.]

Eye of Providence, regardless of Kang Seo-Jun’s will, displayed the surrounding conversations like chat logs in front of him.

“Oh, there. It’s Jin Se-rin.”

“Wow, her face is so white.”

“She looks like a new species that has evolved two or three steps beyond us.”

“Really envy her genes.”

Jin Se-rin was a somewhat famous figure in society and attracted attention wherever she went.

After all, she was one of the promising talents who would lead the Korean Hunter world in the future.

Of course, this evaluation was possible because the details of Jin Se-rin’s growth were still an undisclosed secret to the public.

“But who’s she walking with?”

“Probably just asking for directions.”

“Wow, but his appearance is a bit extreme.”

“Servant? Summoned creature? Isn’t that a monster?”

“I think even undead or bugs would be prettier than that…”

“Chilling that it’s wearing the same clothes as us.”

The subsequent comments were evaluations of Kang Seo-Jun. Kang Seo-Jun shed tears inwardly.

[The Constellation 《Compassionate Hermit》sponsors dimensional currency for the meaning of comfort.]

Still, thanks to being favored one, situations like this somehow turned into advantages. Jin Se-rin and Kang Seo-Jun took the main building elevator and headed to the classroom.

They were assigned to Class A of the first year.

Being in the same class as Jin Se-rin was likely the result of fortunate circumstances. As Kang Seo-Jun opened the classroom door, the chat log quickly updated before his eyes.

“Whoa, what’s that?”

“Oh! I know him! Willpower A+ grade. Impressive.”

“Ah, is that him? If we were in the same group, I wouldn’t have been able to eat that day.”

“Oh my… but are we in the same class as him?”

“Wow, just as they say, his visuals are no joke.”

“The kid sitting behind him is going to hell for at least a month. Gotta look at that skin all the time.”

[The Constellation 《Compassionate Hermit》 sponsors dimensional currency for the meaning of comfort.]

Kang Seo-Jun awkwardly walked towards a seat in the middle near the window. Jin Se-rin followed, closing the classroom door behind her with a loud sound.

– Thud! –

“Whoa, the timing was perfect. Immediate eye purification.”

“Are we in the same class as Jin Se-rin? Amazing.”

“Yeah, this is how the balance should be.”

The evaluations of Kang Seo-Jun and Jin Se-rin were polar opposites. However, the students, seeing Jin Se-rin casually sitting next to Kang Seo-Jun as if it were natural, couldn’t help but gossip.

“Huh?”

“What’s up?”

“Seo-jun, do you have an extra uniform? Should I order one for you?”

“That would be appreciated.”

“Got it! Also, about lunch today…”

Even private conversations as if they were long-time friends. The chat log quickly appeared before Kang Seo-Jun’s eyes.

“What’s this? They seem close.”

“How? Does he have a background?”

“No, I haven’t heard anything.”

“Wow, what’s up with that?”

“I envy being close to Jin Se-rin.”

Kang Seo-Jun cleared the quickly rising chat log without a pause. However, there was one conspicuous message that caught his eye, so he extracted it separately and enlarged it.

[Park Shin-Hoo: Why is that guy sitting in front of me?]

Turning his head, Kang Seo-Jun saw Park Shin-Hoo sitting at the far back near the window.

‘Even at the [Grand Hunter Academy], Jin Se-rin and Park Shin-Hoo were always in the same class.’

He was surrounded by his group, and through the gap, he glared at Kang Seo-Jun. he, without avoiding the gaze, licked his dry lips once.

‘Is he trying to pick a fight?’

Due to spending the counter time in the morning dump truck accident, it would be awkward to engage in a fight now.

Fortunately, perhaps due to the stroke of luck, Park Shin-Hoo had no intention of picking a fight with Kang Seo-Jun at the moment.

Due to the continuous disturbance of sleep for the past few weeks, the fatigue from yesterday’s training had hardly dissipated.

Recently, occasional chills, unfamiliar stomachaches, and other signs of poor health had appeared.

Even though he and his group had charged at the guy with full force in perfect condition, there was nothing more he could do in the current situation.

‘For now, I’ll let it slide, but not for long. I’ll thoroughly trample him and show who’s superior…’

However, Park Shin-Hoo’s essence remained unchanged.

‘Whether it’s skill or background, it doesn’t matter. As soon as the preparations are complete, I will definitely crush him. The Sun’s Fruit belongs to me.’

For the past two weeks, Park Shin-Hoo contemplated means to counter Kang Seo-Jun’s mysterious counter technique. A few days ago, he made a decision and started thorough preparations.

Park Shin-Hoo analyzed Kang Seo-Jun’s major strengths, evasion and counter. Among the numerous ways to bypass them, Park Shin-Hoo chose a method that involved giving pain and extracting bones.

‘Increase Elemental Sensitivity with potions, make a contract with the Earth Spirit. Then, I can obtain a defensive skill that can withstand his counters at least once. Grab his arm, prevent him from escaping, and strike the vital points.’

That was Park Shin-Hoo’s plan.

However, the time for counter was a skill applicable to all close-range attacks. He was unaware that grabbing was also a target for counter.

Also, if he worked hard and obtained a favorable trait like [Elemental Sensitivity], Kang Seo-Jun might easily snatch it away.

Sooner or later, Kang Seo-Jun was about to acquire Elemental Sensitivity.

– Swoosh.

–

Park Shin-Hoo, having reassured himself of his plan, looked at Kang Seo-Jun and then shifted his gaze to Jin Se-rin this time.

‘And that woman… when did she get in touch with him?’

She was Jin Se-rin, the unrivaled heiress of the Taesan Group, a formidable competitor to the Seongjin Group.

‘Or maybe they knew each other from the beginning…’

Thinking about the possible relationship between them, Park Shin-Hoo’s mind quietly started to churn.

‘Well, for now, I will stay quietly.’

Kang Seo-Jun, seeing that Park Shin-Hoo didn’t seem to have any intention of starting a conflict, turned his gaze away in relief. Then, he met another pair of eyes.

Dark brown hair and vivid green eyes with a distinct gleam.

Thanks to that peculiar eye color, she was easily recognizable.

Lim Chae-Won.

A playable character and heroine of the Grand Hunter Academy.

She was the influential heiress of the largest guild in Gangwon Province, known as the hotspot for rare raw materials and potions.

She was sitting in the middle of the front row, staring intensely at Kang Seo-Jun.

Ignoring the uncomfortable gaze, Kang Seo-Jun turned his gaze outside the window.

‘Why is she staring at me like that?’

From Kang Seo-Jun’s perspective, who was aware of her background, there were various perplexities. She was an individual who rarely showed interest in anything unless it was related to her own concerns.

Just a forward-looking and ambitious woman running ahead, someone for whom Kang Seo-Jun would be nothing more than a passing trifle.

‘Hmm. It’s probably not because of my appearance. Maybe it’s because I’m with Jin Se-rin.’

Considering various possibilities while looking out the window, he eventually thought, ‘Well, it probably doesn’t matter much.’

Kang Seo-Jun’s assumption was half correct and half wrong.

‘Could it be that the woman next to him was Jin Se-rin?’

Kang Seo-Jun was aware of being with Jin Se-rin. However, what was embedded in that awareness was not Kang Seo-Jun’s curiosity but rather caution toward Jin Se-rin.

‘Perhaps the Seongjin Group contacted him first. And that appearance…’

She couldn’t take her eyes off Kang Seo-Jun’s appearance.

Even from a distance, the hunched back and reddened skin were notably visible, but up close, the condition appeared even more severe.

Not only the back but also the legs and arms were bent, and the flesh seemed to be twisted to the point where the existence of muscles was questionable.

‘How could he generate such power with that body?’

Moreover, the mana emanating from him was exceptionally feeble. The power to demolish a heavy dump truck in one blow, the severely damaged body, and the frail energy emitted from him created a sense of discord that left her mind in turmoil.

However, soon enough, her thoughts reached a single conclusion, and she raised her head.

‘I’ll get to know from now on.’

What was the background of this unbelievable ability? Who was he? What was the relationship with Jin Se-rin? Numerous questions would be solved step by step in a proactive manner.

With that in mind, Lim Chae-Won started planning how to approach Kang Seo-Jun.

‘It’s better to recruit that power to our side, no matter the cost. With that level of strength, all plans will become much easier.’

What conditions did the Seongjin Group offer him? Money? Artifacts? Or perhaps a position within the group?

‘Whatever conditions they offered, I can offer more.’

If the Seongjin Group had immense wealth, Lim Chae-Won had a brilliant vision. However, the conditions Jin Se-rin had set with Kang Seo-Jun were vastly different.

It was a strong bond called “Best Friends.”

And there seemed to be a condition beyond that. There was nothing else but “Lover.”