I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

The spectator seats, which could accommodate up to 100,000 people, were filled to capacity.

Despite the large number, there wasn’t a single empty seat in the audience.

If five people gathered and chatted, it would be chaotic. If 100,000 people gathered and talked, it would be a disaster. At least, for me.

“A transparent barrier… I’ll practice it as soon as I get back.”

“Shut up and go get me some coffee.”

“Cough, yes.”

Jayden got up from his seat and left the barrier. He called out to Kang Hanna, who was talking to the students in front of him.

“Cheon Ji-ho.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Go and get it yourself. Otherwise, I’ll throw you on the floor.”

“Ah… yes.”

Cheon Ji-ho quickly got up from his seat and approached Jayden, who was returning to this side.

After a brief conversation, Jayden hurriedly ran after Kang Hanna, who had disappeared towards the waiting room.

“I conveyed the message.”

After Cheon Ji-ho returned to his seat, I nodded once and stood up in front of the students.

The students, who had been glaring at the F.A. members on the other side with hostility, flinched and relaxed their eyes.

I couldn’t help but laugh at their change in attitude, as if they had transformed from beasts into gentle lambs in the blink of an eye.

“For those who achieve an undefeated record until the end of the festival, I will personally give you a gift. However, those who lose even once will be on probation until the end of the vacation. Those who accept, please raise your hands.”

Paaat!

Baek Hana, who was sitting in a comfortable chair, was the first to raise her hand. Following her, Nam Seo-hee and Yoon Iseul, who were standing on either side of Baek Hana, also raised their hands.

Starting with those three, the other students also raised their hands without much hesitation, and eventually, all thirty students accepted my bet.

“I hope you achieve good results.”

I turned around and walked back to my seat, leaving Kang Hanna and Jayden, who were bringing coffee.

“Haha, there was no instant coffee…”

“I told you not to pass on my instructions to others. Do it yourself.”

“Yes…”

Ssss.

As Jayden opened the can, the familiar scent of canned coffee wafted out. The taste was also not much different from what I remembered, just an ordinary canned coffee.

At the same time, it was the only taste I could find.

-This is the Operations Headquarters. Please send the first student to the stage.

The small walkie-talkie attached to Jayden’s front pocket rang.

He got up from his seat and approached the students.

Then, a first-year student followed Jayden onto the stage.

“Kang Hanna.”

-Yes, yes?!

As the match was about to begin, Kang Hanna, who had been trying to slip away quietly, turned around in surprise.

“Come and sit down.”

“Oh, yes, yes.”

After showing a moment of surprise, Kang Hanna quickly regained her composure and ran towards Jayden’s empty seat.

“You will be in charge of the second-year combat technique lecture.”

“Yes? Ah, yes…”

Kang Hanna blinked her eyes and nodded, then widened her eyes and looked up at me in surprise.

“I will be in charge of the second-year lecture…?”

“Yes.”

“If you ask me to, I will do my best…”

I thought she would ask a few questions, either because she didn’t think she could do it herself or because she was considering the other professors. However, Kang Hanna quickly accepted my offer.

“Your salary will also increase, so just do as you have been doing.”

“!!”

Kang Hanna, who had been staring blankly at the stage, opened her mouth wide and turned back towards me.

“I will do my best!”

Then, she stood up from her seat and bowed deeply at me.

“Sit down.”

“Yes!”

Soon after Kang Hanna sat down, the two students on stage rushed towards each other.

“Huh? Why can’t I hear any sound…?”

Kang Hanna, who was watching the stage with excitement, realized after a few clashes that there was no sound.

“It’s because of the barrier set up by Professor Baek.”

“Barrier? I can’t see it…”

At Cheon Ji-ho’s answer, Kang Hanna looked around.

“Don’t be distracted. Just sit quietly.”

“Oh, yes.”

Kang Hanna wanted to show that she prioritized my orders over her curiosity, so she quickly stopped looking around and fixed her gaze on the stage.

And not long after, the result of the match was announced.

“Yes!”

Our first-year student knocked down the opponent, and Cheon Ji-ho clenched his fists in joy.

“Damn, those bastards.”

Cheon Ji-ho shook his head, but there was a faint smile on his lips, indicating that he was happy.

The first-year student deliberately closed the distance by rushing towards an attack that he could have easily avoided. As a result, his left leg was deeply cut by a sword, exposing the bone. However, he ignored the pain and swung his arm, stabbing the opponent’s abdomen.

The match ended there.

The first-year student’s sword didn’t pierce the opponent’s abdomen.

The head professors from both sides immediately stopped the match.

In other words, it was a judgment victory for our side.

Although the injury to the leg was not a minor one, it couldn’t be compared to a sword piercing the abdomen and tearing through the internal organs.

Claire, or rather, Jayden, could have continued the fight, but the current level of the students was not enough.

‘I’ll have to roll him again.’

I glared at Cheon Ji-ho, who was sitting next to me and looking pleased, and observed the other side’s camp.

-It’s okay, Bill.

-Right. Who would have thought he would rush in like that?

-Thanks to you, we have a rough idea of what strategy they will use. So, cheer up.

-We will get our revenge.

The opponent didn’t seem to care about the defeat.

Instead, they quickly started strategizing, comforting the student who had just come down from the stage and figuring out what strategy our side would use.

On the other hand, what about our side?

-Hmm, I knew it would work!

-Damn, we’re screwed. It’s a direct head cut.

-Attacking the head will result in disqualification, you bastard.

Both the students and the professors were thoughtless.

No, Yoon Iseul and a few others seemed to have realized the problem, but they didn’t seem to want to speak up yet.

‘I was satisfied with being favorable towards Baek Hana… But next time, it would be better to spend more time properly educating them.’

If they were just one-time use pawns, I wouldn’t care, but the students here were gathered for Baek Hana, not for me.

Baek Hana will graduate from the academy and continue to build relationships with various people.

Through Lee Yesol, I had selected students with good talent and character, but now I realized that they were lacking in many ways.

I took a sip of the canned coffee I was holding and watched the following matches.

“That’s right…!!”

“Hmm~!!”

“Wow, well done!”

And as they increased their wins, the eyes of Kang Hanna, sitting next to me, began to fill with greed.

‘Is it a bet on the outcome?’

Since last year, she had shown an obsession with money.

I had no intention of criticizing her for how she spent the money she earned honestly. I just knew what the future held for her, so I was thinking of ways to make use of her.

“Go, Kang Seok-ho! Show them the might of the Iron Knight!”

Kang Hanna, who had forgotten that I was sitting next to her, stood up from her seat and started cheering for Kang Seok-ho.

-Leave her alone.

-Yes…

I sent a telepathic message to Cheon Ji-ho, who was trying to stop Kang Hanna, and then turned my gaze towards the stage.

Kang Seok-ho.

An enhancement-type Awakened who could transform his body parts into steel.

His main weapons were a broadsword and a one-handed shield.

The F.A. student was a typical enhancement-type Awakened who could strengthen his physical strength.

His main weapon was a pointed iron rod.

For Kang Seok-ho, who transformed his body into steel and pushed forward stubbornly, the opponent was the worst possible match.

The opponent not only wielded a long iron rod but could also strengthen his physical strength up to ten times, depending on the amount of magical power invested.

If Kang Seok-ho tried to block or partially transform his body to counter the attack, he would quickly lose his balance and be at a disadvantage.

On the other hand, if he transformed his entire body into steel and approached, he would lack mobility and be unable to close the distance.

In other words, this was a match where he had to give up some flesh to gain a more significant advantage.

However, these guys had given up too much flesh to an opponent they could have defeated with some effort.

“Go, go, go!”

Kang Seok-ho, who had been transforming his body into steel to block the attacks, made a decision and released his ability, rushing towards the opponent.

And the iron rod aimed at Kang Seok-ho’s left shoulder.

If Kang Seok-ho lost his arm holding the shield, it would be the same as losing the match.

Therefore, it was crucial to either dodge the iron rod or concentrate his ability to somehow mitigate the impact.

However, Kang Seok-ho transformed his waist and legs into steel instead of his left shoulder.

This was a choice to ensure that his posture wouldn’t crumble even if the iron rod hit his shoulder.

Then, Kang Seok-ho’s sword aimed at the opponent’s ribs and slashed diagonally.

“Huh…?”

A foolish sound escaped Kang Hanna’s mouth.

The iron rod that had crushed Kang Seok-ho’s shoulder.

But Kang Seok-ho’s sword didn’t reach the opponent’s ribs.

Was it the intervention of the head professor?

Wrong.

As if waiting for this moment, the opponent used his knee and elbow to grab Kang Seok-ho’s sword.

-I knew he would do that.

-Damn…

The iron rod that had crushed Kang Seok-ho’s shoulder was now aimed at his ribs.

And…

“Aaaah!”

The scream that Kang Seok-ho should have yelled came from Kang Hanna’s mouth.