I Became an Unknown Professor at the Academy

The five statues, which had once burned brightly with the worship and faith of humans, were now broken into pieces, rolling aimlessly on the floor in a sorry state.

‘Yeah. These were the ones.’

Miserable creatures, no different from parasites, whose existence and power depended on humans. Yet, they were more authoritarian, arrogant, and disdainful of humans than anyone else.

Clowns soaring through the sky.

I called them that, the ones who proclaimed themselves gods, only to be undone.

Perhaps I have been misunderstanding nothingness all this time.

To those vermin, no different from insects in the shadows, even calling them clowns would be a luxury. A year ago, they swore their existence on treating me as an equal, just like a brother, and perhaps, nothingness is far more lenient than I thought.

“Clear them.”

“Yes.”

Claire, who had been standing behind me, took two steps forward.

Then, the radiant sword appeared in her hand.

It felt as though time had stopped, with everyone frozen in place. Claire lightly swung the radiant sword in her right hand.

It wasn’t slow, nor fast, just an ordinary swing.

Whoooosh—!!

A great holy fire erupted behind the massive round table.

The brilliant flame, resembling her hair, instantly burned the scattered pieces of the statues, leaving no trace, not even a speck of dust.

The holy fire, having accomplished its purpose, vanished like a mirage, as if it had never existed.

I glanced at the frozen figures who remained seated despite the shattered statues of the vermin they worshipped.

‘So they think they’ve been blessed, huh.’

The weakest and youngest of the Resting Faith was at a level similar to Jayden, and the one who had properly received the blessing of Beauty, a little lower than Chairman Ahn Hyun-do.

Though these were just raw figures based on the total amount of mana, if you add the divine power, and the ‘miracles’ it produces, as well as the abilities individuals have manifested, unless there’s some secret move, Jayden and Ahn Hyun-do, both younger and with less mana, would lose to those who are weaker and younger than them.

‘What a joke.’

And now, they’re trying to control them.

What a waste of time.

It would be hundreds of times more efficient for me to act myself.

More importantly,

‘…I can trust them.’

Even though she could sheathe her sword, Claire still held the radiant sword, standing as if ready to slay those sitting at their seats at my command.

I briefly took in her pure white, flawless back before turning away.

The students, almost a hundred, knelt on the floor with dazed expressions, staring this way.

【Rise.】

““……!!””

By channeling my voice through the unique mana stored in my heart, the dim, unfocused students began to regain clarity in their eyes.

【This is Arena Academy.】

The students, whose faces were in a mess of tears and snot, hesitated and quickly began to rise, focusing back on me.

【And you are students of Arena Academy.】

Yes. This is Arena Academy.

Greed… no. This is my nest, my domain where I have established my territory.

【Remember this. The only ones who can punish you here are me and the professors.】

I turned back and warned those seated at the round table.

【I promise. If you try to act as masters once more…】

By coming to this place today, the direction was set.

I had everything I needed, and I had a trustworthy relationship to protect the hundred students on my behalf.

【I will personally pull you down from that seat.】

Now, it was time to reveal my existence.

.

.

“Everyone, return to your seats.”

Before Baek Woo-jin’s words ended, the students, who had looked as though they were frightened moments ago, straightened their shoulders and, one by one, began heading to their designated seats, walking up the stairs.

‘…Both of them are so impressive.’

Except for Claire, the only other one who could exude such overwhelming presence in this vast meeting room was Lee Yesol, the priestess of the God of Amusement. She looked at the two men and women with awe in her eyes.

“Claire.”

“Yes.”

The radiant sword disappeared from the superior’s hand.

And the two of them walked in opposite directions.

Lee Yesol briefly glanced at Claire, sitting at the highest seat of the round table, before cautiously approaching Baek Woo-jin, who was making his way toward her.

“You must have worked hard.”

“……”

“Professor?”

He motioned to stop with a large hand covering his mouth, and although Lee Yesol was puzzled, she stopped walking, and her confusion was quickly resolved.

“Ahem…”

Baek Woo-jin covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed softly, causing Lee Yesol’s face to harden.

A faint scent of blood touched her nose.

“…It’s nothing. Don’t tell Claire.”

Was this truly the same person who had crushed those great beings and given warnings?

A mischievous smile returned to Lee Yesol’s face, which had previously been stiffened.

“…That handkerchief is beautiful.”

“Yeah.”

Lee Yesol smiled faintly at him and, after briefly glancing at Baek Woo-jin gripping the bloodstained handkerchief, lowered her head.

Click—

The sound of a door handle turning caused Kang Hanna, who had been briefly stepping outside to catch her breath, to naturally glance behind her.

“…Professor Jayden.”

She lightly greeted the blond, middle-aged man who had appeared by opening the door. Her voice was weak and tired.

“I thought I couldn’t find you, but you were already out here.”

“Yes… something… felt off.”

Kang Hanna scratched her cheek awkwardly with a forced smile.

For the first time in her life, she had felt the fear of death and a crippling sense of powerlessness.

Both Kang Hanna and Jayden, like the students, had incurred the wrath of the gods and had to directly experience the fragments of power possessed by the omnipotent beings known as the “Great Ones.”

“…My hands are still shaking.”

“I’ve only just managed to calm the mana backflow.”

The two of them looked up at the sky, obscured by the barrier, and silently chuckled.

“I won’t be making any more offerings to the temple from now on.”

“Haha, I’ve never made any offerings myself.”

“Really?”

When Kang Hanna asked while turning her head, Jayden nodded, his expression much more relaxed.

“The old man, my mentor, always said that it was better to use the money I would’ve given to the temple to buy another magic stone for experiments. He told me that until I almost bled in my ears.”

“He sounds like a wise man.”

“After going through today, I realize how true that is.”

Jayden recalled his mentor, who was now hidden away in a clock tower, and took out a cigarette from his pocket.

“…You smoke?”

“Oh, it just looks like a cigarette. The contents are just a mix of normal mana herbs and incense.”

“I see.”

“I got used to hanging out with Professor Cheon Ji-ho, and after a while, it felt like my mouth was too empty, so I made one.”

He lit it and then offered Kang Hanna one as well.

“I put in some expensive mana herbs, so it should help calm your mind and body.”

“…Thank you.”

Kang Hanna took it and put it in her mouth.

Sssshhh…

A small ember flared up in the air before quickly lighting her cigarette, then disappeared.

“Hmm~ Oh, it smells like blueberry.”

“I have cherry.”

Ignoring the holy knights standing guard outside, the two of them leaned back against the wall, smoking what was actually an herbal concoction, inhaling and exhaling repeatedly.

“…About that thing earlier. Actually, I met Professor Baek when I was a student.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Before enrolling, I wanted to take a look around, so I came in with some friends who had been accepted and got a temporary pass. Then we ended up entering the Labyrinth of Infinity.”

“Haha, every new student has to go in there at least once and get stuck, right?”

“I heard that even you, Professor Jayden, got stuck there too.”

“Well, all the faculty members, except for the Chairperson, have been trapped there at least once.”

Kang Hanna chuckled and nodded.

“Yeah. It’s a maze, and you can’t use magic, and you can’t even climb the bushes. How do you escape?”

“When magic is sealed, I felt my heart drop too.”

“That’s what I’m saying. It was in the middle of winter too, so it was freezing.”

Kang Hanna inhaled the remaining herbs and exhaled.

“Whew… I was just waiting for the next day, ready to give up, when Professor Baek appeared.”

“Ah, the prince on a white horse.”

“Seriously, that’s what it was like? His voice—oh, even now, it makes my heart race… Anyway, thanks to Professor Baek, I was able to get home safely by myself.”

Kang Hanna kept the fact that she had freaked out without realizing Professor Baek had called her name after seeing her ID a secret.

“…Is he really human?”

“Well, I’m not sure.”

Jayden shrugged as he answered, not specifying who the question was directed at.

“I’ve wondered about that too. But today, I realized something for sure.”

“What’s that?”

“I think I need to set up a home in the lab.”

Without a doubt, the safest place on this planet is here—at Arena Academy.

“Oh, my lab is tiny though…”

“Well, I should propose turning the unused research building into staff housing.”

“Oh!! I totally agree!! Definitely, I’ll support that!!”

Having finished their herbal cigarettes, the two of them began cleaning up and stood up from the wall.

“By the way, Professor Jayden.”

“Yes, Professor Kang.”

“The statue of the Goddess of Joy didn’t shine, did it?”

“That’s right.”

“And she is also a figure that the Executor serves.”

“Right.”

Kang Hanna scratched her chin, looking confused.

“So why did you break the statue of the Goddess of Joy?”

“…I’m not sure?”

Indeed.

There was no reason to break it, so why did it get destroyed?

The two of them blinked in confusion as they tried to figure out the reason.

Then, just as they were thinking about it—

[Are you all enjoying the end of the week?]

“!!”

The chilling voice, like nails on a chalkboard, made both Kang Hanna and Jayden, as well as the holy knights standing guard outside, turn their heads toward the source of the sound.

It was coming from their smartwatches and smartphones.

[Listen, hypocrites who pretend to be protectors of humanity from the threat of gates and the foolish ones who cheer them on.]

A young man in a black robe, with his left face completely destroyed, grinned grotesquely as he spoke.

[You cattle who have been tamed by the peace that was artificially created…]

“Professor Jayden.”

“…It’s Shao Zan.”

The leader of the Black Heaven Sect, the largest group of demon worshippers.

After years of being absent, he had now revealed himself to the world.

[Today, the long peace will shatter, and the stars of the false thrones will lose their light.]

From his completely crushed left lip, sharp, chilling teeth were exposed.

[Everyone, remember.]

[Today is the beginning of the end…]

Dingdingding──!!

[Surprise~!! (❁´◡`❁)✲ﾟ]

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KWAAM──!!

The two of them, confused by the sudden loud advertisement that filled the screen, looked up after hearing a deafening explosion.

And beyond the barrier, they saw multiple streams of ominous black smoke rising.

“….”

“…”

Arena Academy had been attacked.

Yes, it was definitely under attack.

…But why didn’t it feel like an attack?