I Possessed a Broken Academy Instructor

Chapter 14

The events at the training ground, as Jin Crow had said, ended up being nothing more than a minor incident.

Not to mention Famiu, Dokoran received a mere five-point penalty under the pretext of property damage.

Of course, it wasn’t much of a secret among the instructors that each family had anonymously donated reconstruction funds upon hearing the news.

‘Thank goodness no one was hurt.’

On this matter, Ideale was also not overly concerned.

If the donation had been made for the sake of factionalism or some other gain, it would have been displeasing. Yet, perhaps because she knew her character, or perhaps to avoid giving grounds for an attack from another faction, she sent only the necessary amount to cover the costs.

She was not entirely inflexible, after all.

Even if it was anonymous, the money came with receipts attached, making it impossible for anyone to embezzle it. If it was a pure donation, what was there to be ashamed of?

Moreover, with Instructor Jin Crow intervening, no one was harmed, so if one were to look at the outcome, it had been resolved rather smoothly.

“Huuh.”

Ideale pressed her throbbing eyelids as she set her glasses down on the table, trying to handle the workload.

The black tea that Vice-Principal Ginatio had brought hours ago had long since gone cold.

Sip.

She moistened her dry lips.

The moderately bitter taste brushed against her tongue, and she rose her stiff body, making her way to the window.

“Huuh.”

Relief washed over her as she undid a button of her shirt, which had felt constricting up to her throat.

“…What on earth is he thinking?”

The question slipped through her lips, unmistakably directed at Jin Crow.

He had stirred up trouble with an utterly negligent attitude, yet now he approached his role as an instructor with an almost bewildering enthusiasm.

It was only natural to feel perplexed.

However, after reviewing the materials Jin Crow had provided, she began to understand.

At first, it was anger.

But soon, what lingered in her mind was a question.

‘There’s something more.’

Was it a scheme from the Rosen side, hoping for discord within the Kukenhausen family, or was it truly a deal made by Jin Crow himself?

For now, it was not something she could conclude hastily.

Thus, even having seen the ‘dagger’ he had offered, she decided to hold her reactions in check for the time being.

‘Jin Crow.’

The first emotion she felt upon seeing him again was relief, but after witnessing his changed demeanor, it turned to disappointment.

Yet now, what she felt was…

‘I will watch.’

A complex mix of anxiety and anticipation.

*

A man stepped into a colossal facility, one that was beyond comparison to the 7th Training Ground where Ramda once lingered.

As he moved, the gazes of the cadets, who had been waiting in anticipation, converged upon him.

And there stood Ginatio, who had been leading the cadets, maintaining a stoic expression as he nodded in acknowledgment.

“Everyone is here.”

His lips parted, and the sharp yet weary voice of Instructor Jin Crow echoed through the lobby of the central training hall.

No matter how much they whispered behind his back about his ill fortune or how he was marred by the stench of smoke and drink, the moment one faced him, the feeling was altogether different.

His murky black pupils seemed lifeless, and his pale skin only deepened the chill of his already dark demeanor.

Yet, what struck the most was the atmosphere he exuded, an unspoken weight that pressed down upon the room.

“……”

Without uttering a word, his mere gaze seemed to tighten an inexplicable suffocation around the throat.

Of course, one could grow accustomed to it over time, but the overwhelming first impression would remain unchanged.

“Ooh, he seems even more menacing today.”

“……Hah.”

Meanwhile, Dokoran squirmed as if she wanted to cling to the imposing figure of Jin Crow, while Pamiu shook her head beside her.

‘How did I end up here?’

All of this was thanks to the gorilla beside her, who couldn’t even manage to control her strength during sparring.

What had been a meticulously crafted curriculum now bore the weight of unnecessary complications.

Of course, Jin Crow, who had more or less forced her into this lecture, was no less unwelcome in her eyes.

It was then.

Jin Crow, having casually scanned the cadets standing in the lobby, finally spoke.

“For the time being, we will hold lectures in the central training hall.”

“Hmm?”

In an instant, the cadets tilted their heads at the seemingly incomplete statement, but the awkwardness of Crow’s words quickly dissipated.

“Since it’s the first day, I will take questions. Feel free to ask without reservation.”

His demeanor was remarkably relaxed.

Perhaps that was why.

As some cadets seemed to ease their tension and were about to raise their hands, Dokoran, already twisted with competitive spirit, shot her hand up high and exclaimed.

“Me!”

“State your name and rank. Next.”

“Cadet Dokoran! I have a question!”

Only then did Jin Crow nod, and Dokoran’s characteristic crimson eyes sparkled as he shouted.

“Do you also spar with us, Instructor?!”

“Dismissed. Next.”

“Excuse me? But—. Huh? Ugh?”

At the word “dismissed,” Dokoran hastily tried to add something, but the sound was swallowed when Pamiyu snapped her fingers beside him.

Pamiyu gave a light gesture, and receiving her gaze, Jin Crow calmly pointed to the next cadet as if Dokoran were invisible.

“Cadet Beatus.”

“Ask.”

“Yes. Then, what exactly are we learning?”

He appeared to be a martial artist at first glance, yet unlike Dokoran, his question was quite serious, and the other cadets nodded in agreement.

“As you all know, the newly established ‘Understanding Cosmic Beasts’ includes both theory and combat as a linked lecture.”

The answer was succinct.

Just as several cadets, still puzzled, were about to ask again, he furrowed his brow as if his words were not yet finished.

“Do not rush. You will come to know in time. Next.”

“Cadet Wutton.”

The subsequent questions from the cadets were all predictable.

Thus, Jin Crow was about to respond only to the questions of significance and was slowly wrapping things up when—

“Cadet Baek Hui-young.”

With ashen eyes blinking, he raised his hand.

At his murmured words, Jin Crow’s gaze met his.

He nodded.

With the unspoken permission, Baek Hui-young opened his mouth.

“I’m not sure if this will be disrespectful to you, Instructor, but there’s something I wish to clarify. Is that alright?”

This was different from the questions posed by the other cadets.

Because of that, while they anticipated what Baek Hui-young would say, Miel, standing nearby, looked at him as if terrified of what he might utter.

“You may ask.”

At last, his permission was granted.

Then, as if he had been waiting for this moment, Baek Hui-young asked him.

“Do you have the qualifications to teach us, Instructor?”

That exceedingly provocative question turned the heads of both cadets who knew Baek Hui-young and those who did not, all staring at him.

But in the words that followed, I could only nod inwardly.

“Theory may say so, but practice is different.”

Naturally, a strange silence lingered in the vast lobby of the central training hall.

In any other lecture, a cadet daring to question an instructor would have been unthinkable, yet at least regarding creatures, Baek Hwi-young’s words held merit.

“Tsk, a dead end.”

So much so that even the usually indifferent Deputy Instructor Ginatios, who harbored no fondness for Jin Crow, glanced at him with a click of his tongue.

Yet, seeing Baek Hwi-young steadfastly meeting Jin Crow’s gaze, I felt a flicker of joy.

“He’s hit the nail on the head. I don’t recall him being a standout cadet…”

Baek Hwi-young. It was then that I etched that name into my mind.

Slowly, Jin Crow’s mouth opened.

Naturally, neither Deputy Instructor Ginatios nor the other cadets expected anything good to come from his lips, and Miel had already squeezed her eyes shut, trembling at the impending scolding.

“That is a valid question.”

“Uh?”

But as his words flowed forth, everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Only Baek Hwi-young stared directly at him, as if he had anticipated this, waiting for the forthcoming answer.

“The cadets of the Central Special Operations Academy are all recognized talents by the Synthesized Nation’s military. Therefore, they are entitled to lectures befitting their status.”

In fact, a fleeting, faint smile brushed across Jin Crow’s lips as he spoke.

Perhaps that was why.

Baek Hwi-young, satisfied, opened his mouth to respond.

Yet, with the words that followed, he could only be left in bewilderment.

“However, to question an instructor implies that a subordinate has judged the capabilities of their superior at their own discretion. In extreme cases, it borders on insubordination. Thus, a penalty of five points.”

“…What?”

One could argue it was an excessive interpretation, but in truth, this was closer to the Jin Crow that the cadets had originally known, and it was enough to make one nod in agreement.

Moreover, it wasn’t entirely illogical, was it?

“I understand.”

In the end, Baek Hwi-young could only offer a somewhat hollow smile, resigned to the situation.

He himself was aware that he had just crossed a line.

Just as Baek Hwi-young sealed his lips, and the atmosphere began to settle, Jin Crow spoke again.

“However, that was a good question. Lambda.”

“Oh, yes! Instructor!”

Jin Crow called out to the blue-haired android, Lambda, who stood at one side of the central training hall lobby. At his summons, Lambda approached with a slightly tense expression and stood beside him.

Naturally, the cadets’ gazes converged, and as Jin Crow nodded, Lambda let out a short, strained sound before speaking.

“Greetings, cadets. I am Lambda, the android in charge of Training Ground 7 at the academy.”

After a brief introduction, she bowed her head, and Jin Crow added, “The regular staff of the central training facility is on leave, so I have brought her in. You may see her often, so treat her with the respect due to an instructor.”

With that, he gestured to her, and Lambda nodded before making her way to the nearest external control room of Training Ground A1.

“Instructor, what is this?”

At his unexpected command, Sub-instructor Giñatio quietly approached to inquire, but what he received in return was a word that felt more like an order than an answer.

“Sub-instructor, lead all cadets to Training Ground A1.”

“…Understood.”

In the end, all Giñatio could do was follow his orders and guide the cadets along.

He had a hunch about what Jin Crow was trying to show them.

‘It’s the most certain way, after all.’

Well, creatures were not so familiar to the instructors either.

No matter how overwhelming the gap in power might be, could simply crushing them with strength serve as a meaningful proof?

Despite his concerns, the cadets obediently entered the interior of Training Ground A1 as directed.

〔Are you ready?〕

A moment later, Lambda’s voice, now sounding more relaxed, echoed through the training ground’s speakers.

Jin Crow, who had entered the training ground first, nodded readily and murmured softly.

“The difficulty is low, considering the creature. The setting is urban combat.”

〔Then, I will activate it.〕

The cadets’ vision darkened.

And soon, when they opened their eyes again, what greeted them was not the pristine white walls of the training ground.

“P-please, spare me!”

“GaaaH!”

It was the heart of a battlefield, filled with desperate screams.

“…Urban combat?”

“Was there a creature option too?”

Every cadet had experienced simulations in training, so there was no panic among them.

But in that moment.

A cry, almost a scream, brushed against the ears of the cadets.

“Blood, take cover!”

The shout of an officer, huddled amidst the ruins of a collapsed building. It was merely a simulation, a construct of the mind, yet the desperation within it felt indistinguishable from reality.

Was that the reason?

The gazes of the cadets and the assistant instructor, Ginatio, followed the danger the officer had warned of, and soon they realized that the target of his warning was none other than Jin Crow.

– Kyaaah!

A creature, easily three meters tall, a grotesque blend of purple and red, stomped upon the asphalt and leaped into the air, extending a long, spear-like appendage in place of one arm toward Jin Crow.

“What—what speed!”

“Insane.”

In the face of such overwhelming size and velocity, the cadets collectively held their breath, no one daring to utter a name.

It was only natural.

Who among them had ever seen a creature up close?

‘…This is the end.’

Even Ginatio, with his brow furrowed, swallowed a sound of disbelief.

The creature moved with a speed that surpassed all expectations, and in an instant, it was face to face with Jin Crow.

Gulp—

But at that very moment, the cadets were met with the sound of liquid being swallowed, accompanied by a flash of light that shone for a heartbeat.

– Kkiii?

Before Jin Crow, the creature blinked its characteristic red eyes, its feet planted firmly on the ground.

“This beast is a Phon. A mass-produced variant, but one focused on close combat.”

Yet immediately after, a precise line appeared, slicing through flesh, and the body slid apart to either side.

Thud—

Jin Crow sheathed a sword that he had drawn without anyone noticing, adding to the cadets, who stared at him with blank expressions.

“Make a note of that.”

And only then did they realize.

The sound of liquid that had brushed against their ears moments ago was none other than the contents of the hip flask that Jin Crow held in his hand.