I Possessed a Broken Academy Instructor

Chapter 11

In the Central Special Officer Academy, the establishment of new courses is a rare occurrence.

After all, since the First Galactic War, all conceivable lectures had already been in place.

Yet this time was different.

Was it not a course teaching how to confront those once treated as beasts or monsters?

So ambiguous was even the directive from the Ministry of Defense.

“Operate as an auxiliary course, not a regular one.”

Typically, cadets at the academy attend lectures in their major combat departments, while they take necessary theories and doctrines as minors.

Auxiliary courses do not fall under either of these categories, often straddling the line between combat and theoretical studies.

In other words, even the Ministry of Defense had yet to establish clear guidelines for the course on battling colossal monsters.

“Just a show of hands and a display. The virtues of the military, indeed.”

Was it due to this? Or perhaps something else?

With the realization that there was less to gain than expected, various factions displayed lukewarm reactions, allowing Jin Crow to become the instructor of the newly established course without much upheaval.

That said, the deal with Ideale was not entirely unnecessary.

Even if the position offered no particular benefits, factional strife was inherently about tripping each other up.

“The voting results: 33 in favor, 29 against, and 3 abstentions. Instructor Jin Crow will take charge of the newly established course on battling colossal monsters.”

At Ideale’s declaration, Jin Crow rose from his seat and offered a slight nod, soon filled by the half-hearted applause of the instructors in the conference room.

Clap, clap, clap…

Of course, no one believed that applause was sincere.

Rather, the instructors could only exchange glances between Ideale and Jin Crow, their eyes rolling in disbelief, for the outcome was endlessly perplexing to them.

“Why is Ideale supporting Jin Crow…?”

“Could it be that she’s aligned with Rosen?”

“That can’t be. She despised factionalism so much…”

Even the instructors from the pro-Rosen faction who had supported Jin Crow wore bewildered expressions, leaving little room for further words.

Yet, there was no need to resolve such questions, and Jin Crow and Ideale left the conference room as if they had made a silent pact, without even a brief exchange of glances.

“…Huh.”

“Hmm.”

The instructors departed, each lost in their own thoughts, speculations, disappointments, and expectations, unable to comprehend the unfolding situation.

“…”

Meanwhile, the so-called pro-Ideale instructors, who had silently cast their votes in favor of her incomprehensible request, were in a different mood from the others.

They were all too busy observing the expression of Ideale, the headmaster, whose face had hardened as she left the conference room, heading toward her office, unlike any other time before.

“Jin Crow.”

For them, there was no choice but to think that the reason lay with Jin Crow.

She, who usually despised factionalism, and who was followed purely out of respect, was the very one who had unwittingly pushed them away, stepping into the murky waters of faction politics for the first time.

It was their belief that it could never have been her intention.

Because of this, the instructors could only suppress their urge to confront Jin Crow, their hands itching to grab her by the collar, while they gazed mournfully at Ideale’s retreating figure.

But they did not know.

This was not a threat, but a transaction.

‘…If that information is indeed true.’

In that moment, Ideale’s fury was not directed at Jin Crow, but at her own family.

‘I must stop it. Even if it means bringing my house to ruin by my own hand.’

Yet, there was no room for her anger or the instructors’ misunderstandings to be resolved.

「[Breaking News] Eastern Industrial Planet Lemal under Defense Line. Cosmic Monster “Creature” Invasion」

「Planetary damage classified as “Black”… effectively at the stage of abandoning the planet.」

「Lemal Planet Defense Force virtually annihilated. Survivors estimated to be less than 10%.」

「”Has the Synthetic Nation’s Federal Government abandoned its citizens?” Separatist group “Red Hand” issues statement.」

Once again, shocking news struck the military academy.

*

‘…Was it this severe?’

The calamity of Lemal Planet spread even faster than the previous disaster on Aurum Planet.

Surprisingly, Lemal’s recognition was quite high within the Synthetic Nation, and the most decisive reason was that the few survivors rescued were not by the federal army, but by the separatist terrorist group “Red Hand,” which had been conducting guerrilla warfare in the nearby regions.

“Red Hand. An anti-government organization condemning the militarism and oligarchic politics of the Synthetic Nation.”

The tragedy of Lemal, with its few survivors now in the hands of those who desired internal strife, was all too predictable.

The internet had become a battleground, rife with information from pro-government, anti-government, neutral, and analyses of the Creature’s impact and damage, while protests demanding explanations from the federal government erupted wildly across the planets.

‘Out of 3 billion, fewer than 100 million survived. A tragedy indeed.’

Even with the same 3 billion, this was different from Aurum.

At least then, the Synthetic Nation had something to say to the survivors; this time, they did not.

Sizzle, hiss—

Jin Crow slowly leaned back against the now-familiar embrace of the sofa, exhaling the smoke that pressed against her insides.

‘Not bad. No, in this case, perhaps it’s a good thing.’

As the dangers posed by the Creatures became more pronounced, so too would the value of Jin Crow herself rise.

It may not be so, but the timing of it all feels almost too perfect.

Yet, why is that?

It is undoubtedly advantageous, yet a peculiar bitterness lingers on the tongue.

It was reminiscent of the time when he spoke of self-harm.

“…It’s not easy to adapt.”

He was a devoted reader, having traversed the original “Chronicles of the Galaxy” dozens of times, and he knew he must steel his heart from the very beginning.

Because of that, when he thought of the future consequences, he understood that the troubles of Aurum and Lemal were merely the beginning of ‘minor’ damages.

But it was frustrating.

Like chains, all sorts of emotions were tightening around his throat.

Screech—.

He extinguished the cigarette held between his lips.

Then, clad in his outer garments, he rose from his seat.

‘Let’s just train.’

All that remained was training.

Fortunately, he had realized something while moving between the training grounds not long ago.

‘It’s not Double Gear. Something’s off.’

The words “Error” written behind the Double, and above all, his instincts screamed wildly.

The questions lingered.

Could it truly be that the only reason Jin Crow had come to this state was the damage sustained on the battlefield?

Knock, knock—.

His thoughts were abruptly cut off.

He shifted his gaze to the door where the knocking sound came from, and soon pressed the switch beside his quarters to open it.

“Instructor Jin Crow, here’s a brief proposal regarding the newly established lecture curriculum and recruitment process.”

A familiar man with brown hair stood before him.

It was Giannatio Rowen, the assistant instructor with whom he had clashed in the classroom not long ago.

“Additionally, this is the anticipated budget and a list of cadets who have expressed their intent to apply.”

Without caring for Jin Crow’s reaction, he continued to hand over the documents.

“Alright.”

Jin Crow did not bother to ask, ‘Why are you bringing this to me?’

Surely, Ideale would have thought to attach at least this kind of safety measure.

“Is this lecture also for the assistant instructor?”

“…Yes, it is.”

It was the calmness of that response that left Giannatio Rowen feeling bewildered.

Yet, despite his reaction, Jin Crow merely skimmed through the documents he had handed over.

‘This isn’t bad at all.’

The list of cadets was quite substantial.

So much so that a satisfied smile crept onto his lips without him realizing it.

‘But it’s not enough.’

In the novel, there were countless individuals who hunted creatures alongside the protagonist, ‘Baek Hwi-young,’ but among them, there were those who stood out distinctly.

The so-called “Riders of the Stars.”

Those who would later become generals, each having torn apart creatures numbering in the billions, comrades from the Central Special Officer Academy.

‘Pamiu Dimejeahr.’

Fortunately, she was the only cadet whose name was not inscribed, even while being at the academy ‘currently.’

*

“…It’s chilling. Unpleasantly so.”

Unlike Jin Crow’s, the endlessly shimmering golden hair swayed with the tremors of her shoulders, and her distinctive blue eyes twisted in discomfort.

Before her, Dokgoran cracked his knuckles, his bronze muscles rippling.

“It should be chilling! How dare you toy with my A-grade assignment?!”

“Not you… No, I suppose a gorilla charging at me is chilling in a different way.”

“Alright, let’s see if you can take a beating from a gorilla today!”

Dokgoran immediately stomped the ground.

KWA-BOOM!

The floor of the training hall, made of reinforced alloy, warped in an instant, and Pamiu could only sigh at the sight of Dokgoran leaping dozens of meters in a split second.

‘That instructor, really. Would it hurt to give a D+ once in a while?’

He was already notorious for being overly sensitive, and it was clear he was still holding onto the provocation from Dokgoran earlier.

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have failed! My assignment was perfect!”

“Lan, you didn’t even write half of it before going to sleep… Ugh, whatever.”

There was no need to mention that it would have been an F if he hadn’t intervened.

If they could communicate, he wouldn’t be a gorilla, after all.

Wuuu-

At that very moment, the fingertips of Pamiu reached out, a fleeting instant yet surpassing the speed of sound, aimed directly at Dokgoran.

“Uh, what?”

In that instant, Dokgoran could only watch, tongue clicking in disdain, as Pamiu’s figure flipped beyond the rapidly shifting view.

“After all, your goal is a duel, right? Then I’ll wrap it up quickly.”

The space tore apart, spinning.

The principle was simple.

A reassembly of the extended force, and then its release.

Kwad-dadadadak!

“Gwaaah!”

Dokgoran’s body was ejected precisely in the direction it had come from, causing the ground to rip apart, scattering shards of iron in every direction.

Pababababak!

Each piece, made of reinforced alloy, surged toward Pamiu like sharp daggers, yet she merely isolated the space where the fragments floated with an indifferent touch, speaking only a few words.

「Compression.」

The whispered words did not escape her vocal cords.

They were merely waves of power manipulated by her will.

Yet this anomaly was no illusion.

Wuuung—.

Her blue eyes sparkled, and the intangible space that raced along her fingertips now descended upon the rising Dokgoran.

“Ptooey.”

Dokgoran spat out crimson saliva.

The scratch on his cheek, grazed by the alloy, healed swiftly, and a smile spread across his lips.

“Yeah, that’s more like it!”

The earlier frantic display had vanished.

In his uniquely dark, red-tinged eyes, the emotion Pamiu found most bothersome—pride—now resided.

“…I suppose I’ll need a longer bath today.”

How had she ended up with such a fool by her side? Pamiu sighed, twisting her fingertips, and in that fleeting moment, severed the space dozens of times.

「Dismantle.」

「Assemble.」

Dismantling was the reverse of assembly.

Following her will, the inner gears spun rapidly, and in an instant, she created a void, manipulating the space around her.

Crack!

Boom!

The floor of the training hall that supported her suddenly surged into the void, as if the very space itself harbored malice and struck at Dokgoran.

And there, just beneath the ceiling stacked like a fortress, Pamiyu Dimejea sat, using the flickering lights as her chandelier, crafting a throne of twisted alloy.

“If you reach this far, I might just offer an apology, Ran.”

“Plus, throw in a month’s pass for the snack bar!”

Kwahhh!

Dokgoran sank into the forest of cement that surged forth.

“…Oh my?”

In that moment, Pamiyu, who had been pulling out her device with a bored expression to tackle her overdue assignments, inadvertently sighed upon spotting a man standing beyond the training hall.

“Instructor Jin Crow?”

It was quite an unexpected appearance.