Dae Youngjae stared at Ji Won with a disapproving and heavy gaze—one that felt like a thousand knives piercing through Ji Won's flesh—settling themselves inside his very soul.
The hall was silent—it was possible to hear some students' heavy breaths and Ji Won could also hear his own heartbeat—to the point he was anxious whether or not others could perhaps hear it.
"Sir. Just let him go. For now. We don't have enough time to waste."
Ji Hye broke the silence—leaning against the far end of the wall behind Ji Won, casually having his arms crossed over his chest. Like he was just in a park.
Dae Youngjae took a deep breath—the veins on his temples slowly going away before he nodded.
"I suppose you're right. But as a punishment—he'll be taking the trial alon-"
Almost as if on cue—his eyes landed on a specific corner of the room—A small distortion of sorts occurring in that corner.
His pupils contracted—in the next moment he was already in front of the distortion. Reaching out and grabbing someone by the face as the sounds of muffled protests were heard.
"Invisibility skills and potions are not allowed. It is a punishable offense."
The sounds of protests stopped as slowly—a boy in the school uniform emerged—slowly becoming visible from the bottom up.
He had large teal eyes—his long brown hair was messily tied up into a ponytail. It seemed he had just woken up.
Dae Younjae looked down at the boy with a small frown of annoyance—but the boy wasn't that affected, he even seemed to be frustrated at Dae Youngjae.
"Hey, I can do what I want! The rules are too constraining on us students!"
He tried to defend himself but a small glare from Dae Youngjae shut him up quite quickly as he just accepted his fate.
"I want him on my team, Sir."
Ji Won reluctantly spoke from over Dae Youngjae's shoulder. Feeling a storm brew inside of his stomach as both the student—and the Vice Principal stared at Ji Won with wide eyes and annoyance.
"Hey! I ain't getting on a team with this useless guy! He doesn't even have a system!"
The boy exclaimed—pointing an accusing finger at Ji Won who discreetly scratched his chin with a rather insulting finger, showing it to the boy who almost lunged at him then and there.
But Dae Youngjae was staring at Ji Won with an appraising—annoyed yet still open minded.
"You've been very confident these days. And you did defeat the evaluator sent to test you... Are you sure you still don't have a system?"
Ji Won's eyes widened for a moment—but. He took a deep breath, collecting himself before slowly nodding, a small sheepish expression on his face.
"Well.. I have. Its just a normal system, I've got.. Twelve or something stat points invested in each. I'm a Tank."
Everyone's eyes—except that of Ji Hye and Dae Youngjae's widened to the size of a tennis ball. They were utterly flabbergasted and surprised.
Everyone had questions in their minds but they dared not to ask. Dae Youngjae had turned to face Ji Won after all.
"Is that so? I suppose then you should be allowed a teammate. Two negatives sometimes equal a positive. Nonetheless—you both go last."
Ji Won exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding—the pressure in the room dropping a bit as the boy was let go and Dae Youngjae straightened out his jackets before walking onto the platform that was set in the middle.
The students huddled around—sitting down on the chairs that were placed around the platform—which itself was mysteriously covered by a completely black—void like cloth.
Dae Youngjae sighed deeply—eyes going towards Ji Hye for a moment who was relaxed and sitting next to a group of female students—causing a small frown to occur on Dae Youngjae's face.
But he quickly wiped it away, taking in the cold air through his nose—before speaking.
"Students. I will not waste my time. You all are failing—but let me tell you one fact in order for you to keep your pride."
His voice was commanding respect and attention—one that had its words dripping with the leadership and authority like a general leading his army to battle.
"Any one of you are battle ready no matter what—if you were placed in any other run of the mill school. You all would be considered prodigies."
A student raised his hand lazily into the air—a relaxed smirk spread across his face.
"Sir. Then why stay here?"
Dae Youngjae nodded—his expression remaining unchanged but a flicker of understanding was seen.
"I'll answer your with one of my favorite sayings—A good hunter would never choose to be the best piece of trash in a dump—Rather. They'll choose small piece of cut up gold in a jeweler's store."
He paused—letting the students process what he said—like the dust settling after the storm. But he was just getting started.
He raised his voice a bit—the sound now echoing through the whole of the academy through Dae Youngjae's skill.
"For the gold—no matter how small. No matter how soft, shall never tarnish. It shall never be thrown away and called trash."
He took a deep breath, feeling his heart beat rapidly—like the sound of thunder crashing onto the world.
Ji Hye gave a small smirk—but it wasn't smug or mocking, it was instead a mix of him being impressed and even amused.
"And I though it was bad to hire an S-Rank hunter and ex-general to be the vice principal.. Stupid me."
He muttered under his breath—leaning forward in his chair. Dae Youngjae running a hand through his hair.
"A single nugget of gold can cause greed amongst the poor! That's why my precious students! No matter how weak!—No matter how untalented! Be a small piece of gold in a world filled with trash! Shine so bright people mistake you to be the fire that lights up the world! Cause others to envy you! Not the other way around—you're the students of the System Bearer Academy of Hunters! The best academy in Asia! So have pride! You're the weakest of the strongest"
The room went dead silent—the boy immediately shutting up. Putting his hand down back onto his arm rest but it was evident that he had gone through a much needed humbling moment.
Dae Youngjae slicked his hair back—which had become messy after his rather passionate moment of giving a speech as he stepped down—Ji Hye putting up a fist for Dae Youngjae to bump.
But he was ignored like usual.
Ji Hye blew a small raspberry—standing up as he slowly walked over to the platform, jumping on top as a small mic floated towards him which he promptly held in his hands before speaking into it.
"Well. I hope you all are motivated—since everyone that's in this room shall be going through a whole dungeon trial—oh and. The dungeon is an illusion but the monsters aren't, so go ahead and write your wills.."
He trailed off—seeing the fear on everyone's face...
Except on Ji Won. The boy seeming to have something awakened inside of him—his whole expression was hardened in a stoic mix of focus and determination.
Ji Won didn't know if it was fear, motivation, or both going up and down his spine.
But he felt something about the speech that just clicked with him.
Seeing this Ji Hye gave a small smirk as a swirling purple gate that flickered with black electricity spiraled into existence behind him—swirling and filled with mana.
"Don't die. I don't want to deal with crying parents."