Chapter 44 – Rule 19. The Leader Tests His Unique Ability (1)

 

Several hectic days had passed.

 

In the Disciplinary Committee’s executive office.

 

I sat at my desk, covered in bandages, receiving healing magic from a healer while reviewing documents.

 

The Han Seo-jin incident had been concluded.

 

There were many injuries but no deaths.

 

‘No deaths… Unbelievable.’

 

According to the account from Kim Deok-soo, a member of the Disciplinary Committee who was present at the scene,

 

the Disciplinary Committee fought well against the skeletal beasts, and several students with decent combat abilities, including those from the Volunteer Department, assisted the committee.

 

‘I’m not entirely sure if there were truly no deaths, though.’

 

In front of me, thanks to Lee Se-Ah’s unique ability, a junior’s life was saved.

 

It was like someone being revived by dramatic CPR right after their heart stopped.

 

‘Anyway, it’s a relief in the end. But I’m worried about Se-Ah.’

 

She used a power that seemed to reverse causality.

 

There’s no telling what kind of severe penalty such an immense power might bring.

 

But since unique abilities are treated as private, she wasn’t likely to easily reveal the penalty.

 

Se-Ah didn’t tell me what the penalty for her ability was either.

 

I could only take comfort in the fact that she greeted me normally the next day.

 

‘Han Seo-jin… We can’t touch her for a while.’

 

Han Seo-jin, the perpetrator of this incident, was encased in hardened, purple magic power.

 

No matter what the Disciplinary Committee tried, the tough magic enveloping Seo-jin’s entire body wouldn’t break.

 

Considering it withstood the shockwave from Goliath’s punch, it wasn’t going to break easily.

 

We couldn’t just launch powerful attacks either.

 

Doing so might break Seo-jin’s body beyond repair, and we couldn’t let the case fall into obscurity.

 

‘For now, the best we can do is keep her tightly secured.’

 

In the end, Ahsung High School decided to keep Seo-jin under tight security, managed with the highest level of security measures.

 

‘She’s just dealing with the penalty, so she’ll come back eventually. That’s when we’ll interrogate her.’

 

If Seo-jin returned safely,

 

we would clarify the facts and then hand her over to the trial academy.

 

The Han Seo-jin incident wouldn’t be resolved until then.

 

‘There’s nothing more to see at the scene of the incident either.’

 

We thoroughly investigated the scene.

 

The monster that Goliath defeated wasn’t a living creature to begin with. If it had been tunneling underground like a giant worm, it would have been detected during the test site’s construction.

 

Based on game knowledge and the investigation results, it was a catalyst.

 

In the past,

 

a beast with excessive magic power died buried underground.

 

With nowhere for the vast magic power to escape, it continuously condensed over time, seeping into the beast’s skeleton.

 

Seo-jin must have somehow breathed life back into it.

 

It must have been a very powerful beast at one time.

 

But how did Seo-jin know such a thing was buried at the test site in advance?

 

It could only be speculation until we could interrogate him properly, but there was a theory.

 

‘The Head Principal….’

 

A remnant of the Old Humanity and a figure who knew everything about Academy City, Neo Seoul.

 

And someone revealed to be behind Kim Dalbi.

 

The Head Principal, Lee Doo-hee.

 

She might have provided the information.

 

‘Come to think of it, how did Seo-jin gather those skeletal beasts so easily?’

 

In the game, I dismissed it as just game mechanics, but Seo-jin managed a lot of skeletal beasts.

 

How did she contract with so many beast spirits and control them?

 

If the Head Principal helped, it made sense.

 

Above all else,

 

─ ‘Oh Baek-seo… I was told to watch over her….’

 

It seemed he was following someone’s orders.

 

Considering someone who knew about Neo Seoul and could command someone like the six sinners….

 

The Head Principal was the most likely suspect.

 

Of course, I couldn’t focus solely on her, attributing everything to her plan like some conspiracy theorist.

 

Hasty judgments were forbidden.

 

We had to extract the truth from Seo-jin.

 

‘But then….’

 

I turned my gaze to Oh Baek-seo, who was busy processing documents. She seemed focused on her work, given the amount to handle.

 

Due to this incident, the practical evaluation was completely suspended, and the faculty, student council, and disciplinary committee were focusing on the aftermath and investigation.

 

‘Why was she being watched?’

 

Either the Head Principal or an unknown third party wanted information on Baek-seo.

 

Since the investigation was still ongoing, we could only find out by searching Seo-jin’s belongings and residence.

 

I also directly asked Baek-seo.

 

Yesterday, I asked, ‘Do you know Seo-jin?’

 

Baek-seo firmly denied any association, saying she hadn’t even exchanged words with her.
It seemed like Seo-jin had been unilaterally monitoring her.

 

‘This might be related to Baek-seo’s disappearance in the game.’

 

In the game, Baek-seo vanished.

 

Whatever was about to happen, there might be a connection between Seo-jin monitoring Baek-seo and her disappearance.

 

‘This can’t be overlooked.’

 

I vowed to protect Baek-seo.

 

“Leader, do you need something?”

 

Sensing my gaze, Baek-seo asked.

 

“No, just looking.”

 

“…”

 

Baek-seo turned her gaze to me and stared intently.

 

“Why?”

 

“How’s your body holding up today?”

 

“You mean the penalty?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

I had awakened and used my unique ability during the battle with Seo-jin.

 

It was an ability to manipulate space.

 

Unless there were no strict usage conditions, there would be significant penalties due to the inverse relationship between power and penalty.

 

But….

 

“…I’m fine. Strangely.”

 

I looked at my hand and answered.

 

“I don’t know why it’s like this.”

 

It was actually more frightening that there were no problems…!

 

For several days, I hadn’t experienced any peculiar symptoms.

 

Only the characteristic lethargy from being in a state of magic depletion.

 

Once magic is depleted, it takes a significant amount of time for the body to recover normal functionality due to the overload of magic circuits.

 

Essentially, I was just an ordinary person with strength right now.

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

Baek-seo approached and leaned her pretty face close to mine.

 

I involuntarily held my breath for a moment but didn’t show it.

 

Baek-seo, who was staring at me closely, had a look of curiosity.

 

“Why… does it still not feel like you’re at the 5th Tier?”

 

So she came closer to confirm.

 

“Is that so. I wonder why…?”

 

Those with unique abilities can instinctively sense each other.

 

Like a sixth sense.

 

But for some reason, none of the executives above the 5th Tier could sense my unique ability.

 

Only Secretary Park Minhyuk congratulated me, believing fervently that I’d awakened an incredible ability like a devout follower of a new religion.

 

There was another issue.

 

“Do you still not know the usage conditions?”

 

“No. I have no idea. I don’t feel anything.”

 

I couldn’t recall the conditions for using my unique ability. In the fight with Seo-jin, I used it instinctively.

 

So it was frustrating not being able to explain it.

 

“Could it be because of the magic depletion?”

 

“The conditions for using unique abilities are typically realized instinctively. You’ve already used it once, haven’t you? Even in a state of magic depletion, you should still be aware.”

 

Baek-seo knew from my recounting of the fight with Seo-jin that I used my unique ability by will.

 

“That’s true. I used it instinctively back then, but now I feel like I’ve forgotten that sensation….”

 

“That’s unusual.”

 

“Still, I have a unique ability now. It must be a temporary condition. Since the information is being controlled, it’s unlikely to cause immediate trouble. I should just wait until my magic recovers.”

 

The information that I had a unique ability was controlled at the academy level.

 

Like how bad news about a powerful figure quickly disappears from the internet.

 

There were people who witnessed my ability at the scene.

 

And there were many who had obtained the information.

 

However, we judged it shouldn’t spread further, so I sought help from the Student Council President.