I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

-J, Professor Jayden got knocked out in one hit?!

-What happened? What’s going on?

-Is that old man another professor from another academy?

I had clearly created the simulated adversary to be slightly weaker than their original body, but that idiot got knocked out by the staff of his master’s simulated adversary.

‘Such a waste of even a crumb of cookie.’

I had thought that even if he didn’t win, he would at least show the students something helpful, but he was knocked out so pathetically.

“Get rid of it.”

Crystal moved Jayden and the simulated adversary to the waiting room.

【But isn’t a month too short?】

A clear female voice could be heard right next to me.

【Maybe for our little wolf, but it’ll be tough for those kids】
Bwiar appeared in the form of a child, with a playful smile, and approached me.
【Ugh】

A lump of power landed on my thigh.

I desperately wanted to banish her from this space, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it because she also had a significant stake in this space.

【A new kid has come down.】

After calming myself down, I shifted my gaze from the guy’s back to the arena below.

Professor Cheon Ji-ho, trying to hide his tension, stepped onto the panel.

And.

-Glacial Tiger…?!

At the appearance of the four-legged beast adorned with beautiful ice fragments like jewels, Professor Cheon Ji-ho drew the sword from his waist without hesitation.

【A monster that took your arm, huh? You’re pretty good too.】

I tried to ignore Bwiar’s chattering on my knee and focused on what was happening below.

-Creeak?!

He managed to block the whip-like tail of the glacier with his sword, but he couldn’t control the force and rolled on the ground.

The simulated adversary was weakened, but so was Professor Cheon Ji-ho.

In his prime, he had barely managed to hunt the monster after losing an arm. The chances of Professor Cheon Ji-ho, with his diminished skills, taking down the Glacial Tiger in one go were extremely low.

-Kyaaaak?!

-Pro, Professor!!

-Crazy…!!

As Professor Cheon Ji-ho struggled to block the claws and fangs of the Glacial Tiger, the students let out small screams as the ice fragments shot by the tiger pierced his body.

【Tsk, tsk, at least I tell them the rules before the start~ You’re even more ruthless than me!!】

“Get rid of it.”

Ignoring Bwiar’s words, I gave the order to Crystal.

Soon after, Professor Cheon Ji-ho and the Glacial Tiger, who were lying on the floor of the arena, disappeared.

【Hey~ Hey】
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.
“…”
【Ah Now you’re looking at me!!】

The damn kid, who had been pinching my cheek, smiled faintly and sat back on my thigh.

“Can you please shut up?”

【Hmm~ Then let’s make a bet!!】

“No.”

【Why not!!】

She shouted and suddenly lay down on my thigh, flailing her short limbs.

【Let’s make a bet!! Make a bet with me!! Or I’ll take back all the authority I gave you!!】

Someday, I’ll definitely get rid of this guy too.

“What kind of bet are you proposing?”

【Whether or not the kids can get out of here within a month.】

As if she had never thrown a tantrum, she sat on my thigh with a straight posture and smiled at me.

【I bet they can!! And if I win, you have to reveal the secret life of our Claire!!】

The guy, who had just asked if a month was too short, now bet on the opposite side.

If it weren’t for her child-like appearance, I would have torn her to shreds right then and there.

Damn her.

.
.
.

“Haaack…?!”

Professor Cheon Ji-ho took a deep breath and stood up.

And with his remaining arm, he felt around his surroundings.

“Sa, are you alive…?”

He should have been pierced through the heart by the ice fragment.

But there was no trace of it anywhere on his chest.

‘An illusion…? No, that’s not it.’

The weight he had felt on his sword.

The intense malice that made his skin tingle.

And most of all, the terrible pain he felt when his heart was pierced.

“Hmm… what’s going on…”

Professor Cheon Ji-ho quickly regained his composure and realized that he was in the waiting room.

And.

“…”

“…”

Professor Jayden, lying on the ground a short distance away.

‘He seems to be awake…’

His breathing was unstable, and his heart rate was rising slightly.

‘I should probably pretend not to notice.’

Remembering the sight of Jayden being knocked out by the old man’s staff, Professor Cheon Ji-ho stood up.

The students were probably quite shaken, so Professor Cheon Ji-ho approached them, leaving the awake Jayden behind.

“Pro, Professor?!”

“What, how, how are you okay?”

“What the hell?”

“Aaack!!”

Professor Cheon Ji-ho approached the students, who were reacting in various ways upon seeing him.

“I, I’m fine, so please calm down. Professor Jayden is also safe.”

“It’s Professor Jayden, of course he’s fine.”

“Of course he’s fine, he was just hit by a staff.”

“Hmm…”

Professor Cheon Ji-ho quickly changed the topic, feeling like he had started a fire.
“Cough! Everyone, please focus. I’ll tell you what we’ve found out so far.”

Since he was the only one with proper data, it was more of a guess, but considering that this was an artificial rift rather than a real one, he spoke with more confidence.

“First of all, it seems that you take actual damage in the arena, but when you move to the waiting room after a defeat or forfeit, your wounds are healed. I don’t know the principle behind it, though.”

“In other words, even if your heart is pierced down there, you won’t actually die.”

At Yoon Seul’s question, Professor Cheon Ji-ho nodded.

“That seems to be the case. Even I’m standing here talking to you all, completely healed.”

At his answer, Yoon Seul nodded and looked at Baek Hana, who was sitting a short distance away.

Feeling her gaze, Baek Hana’s blue eyes met Yoon Iseul’s.

The two of them silently exchanged glances for a while.

“So, first, let’s take down as many as we can, and then we should focus on getting some food.”

Baek Hana turned her gaze away and spoke.

“We might discover something new, so…”

The shadow beneath Yoon Iseul’s feet stirred.

“Move as the king commands.”

At that moment, everyone’s gaze turned to Kang Seok-ho.

Because he was the lowest-ranked student among those who hadn’t challenged yet.

“Ah, ah…”

“Don’t be nervous, just go.”

Whoosh──!!

“Aaack?!”

Kang Seok-ho flew a little too high.

The students swallowed their dry saliva and quietly lined up in order of ranking.

·

·

·

The sun, which never seemed to set, finally set.

“Hana, I’ll start the meeting, so please come in.”

“Okay.”

Baek Hana, who had been admiring the night sky, which was even more beautiful than the real one, turned around and headed to the waiting room with Nam Seo-hee.

“Baek Hana, this is for you.”

“…”

As she sat down, Na Joo-hee behind her offered her a chocolate bar.

“I’ll eat it well.”

“Hmm, okay.”

As Baek Hana accepted the chocolate without hesitation, Na Joo-hee gave her a slightly smug look and glanced at Nam Seo-hee.

-Don’t flirt.

-It’s just pure kindness.

-Shut up.

-…?!

As the two girls silently bickered, opening their mouths without making a sound.

“Hmm, everyone has worked really hard today.”

Jayden, with a small bump on the back of his head, coughed lightly and gathered the students’ attention.

For some reason, he was the only one whose wounds from the training hadn’t healed.

“First of all, let’s summarize what we’ve found out so far.”

Jayden created blue flames in the air with his magic and wrote down the information.

『1. Wounds from training are healed when you move to the waiting room.

2. The training opponent is the same for everyone, regardless of ranking.

3. When you defeat the first place, the training opponents change to students from another academy.

4. The exact conditions are unknown, but forfeiting or losing doesn’t always mean starting from the beginning. (Save function)

5. Food and snacks are provided based on performance.

6. You can’t leave the audience seats while training is in progress.』

Baek Hana lightly scanned the blue letters filling the air and munched on the chocolate like a squirrel.

“First of all, there are essential items like bedding and toiletries prepared, so don’t be too hasty and take it slow.”

Some of them responded weakly, while the others just nodded.

It wasn’t too late, but the sudden environment and the mental fatigue had quickly drained their energy.

“Starting tomorrow, Professor Cheon Ji-ho and I will fully support you, so let’s get some rest today for tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll turn off the lights soon. Boys, go upstairs, and girls, go downstairs to lay out your bedding.”

Following the two professors’ instructions, the students divided into two groups and laid out their bedding.

“You, you…”

“Hmm.”

Nam Seo-hee, who was snuggled in Baek Hana’s arms, peeked out from between her shoulders and smirked at Na Joo-hee, who was mumbling with her lips.

“I’ll turn off the lights.”

The bright waiting room was enveloped in darkness.

Soon after, the sound of even breathing could be heard from various places, and Jayden and Cheon Ji-ho quietly left the room.

“Do you think it’s possible within a month?”

“If it were just Baek Hana, Yoon Iseul, and Nam Seo-hee, it would be more than enough… but it seems difficult.”

At Cheon Ji-ho’s answer, Jayden nodded.

“Professor Baek must have known that too when he put us here.”

“He would, right?”

“Yes. So, we should help them grow slowly but surely, so they don’t get impatient.”

“Haha… I have to make up for the embarrassing scene I made this morning, so I’ll have to work hard.”

“Cough!”

Jayden coughed lightly.

“By the way, who was that old man?”

“…My master.”

“Ah… so that’s why…”

“And what happened to you, Professor Cheon Ji-ho?”

“I was hit by the Glacial…”

Jayden and Cheon Ji-ho looked up at the starry night sky, adorned with sparkling jewels, and shared a little bit about each other.

With plenty of food and essential items, there was nothing to worry about, and the burden had been lifted, allowing them to relax.

Swish.

“Hurrgh?!”

“Ugh…”

The two of them shivered as a cold wind suddenly blew.

“Shall we go inside too?”

“Yes… that’s a good idea.”

Jayden and Cheon Ji-ho rubbed the goosebumps on their arms and entered the waiting room.

·

·

·

·

The very next day.

Baek Hana was the first to stand in the arena, and after defeating the second opponent, Italy’s first place, she forfeited.

“…”

Baek Hana blinked, looking at what was in her hand.

[Perfect Protein Bar]

Instead of instant food and snacks, she was holding something strange.