Ch. 3

"Haa…"

Han Jiyoon exhaled deeply, reclining in her chair.

An S-rank superhuman, the leader of one of the world’s top five clans—her titles alone rivaled those of national leaders. And yet, here she was, an Academy professor.

Her presence could be explained by intelligence she’d recently received.

“The villains’ movements are unusual.”

When superhumans first emerged, humanity saw them as saviors. For a time, the world forgot one simple truth: humans, when granted power, inevitably desire to wield it.

Monsters, despite being considered humanity’s enemies, were still just "monsters." Most were so alien they couldn’t be mistaken for humans.

Villains, on the other hand, were human. The same species. It was widely accepted that villains, not monsters, posed the greatest threat to humanity.

"And now, even the ‘Elders’ are on the move," Han Jiyoon muttered bitterly. Hearing that name again was enough to make her grit her teeth.

Once comrades, they were now traitors consumed by greed. If only they hadn’t stabbed their allies in the back, things might have been better now.

“You need to head to the Academy. They need pressure to keep them in check,” the Association President had said, his face unusually tense. Han Jiyoon understood. It was bad enough dealing with regular villains, but the Elders? Even the Superhuman Association couldn’t handle them alone.

The term “Elder” referred to former S-rank superhumans who had become villains.

Bzzzt.

The vibration of her phone interrupted her thoughts. A simple, concise message had arrived:

[Status?]

Han Jiyoon sighed, typing her reply.

[Nothing unusual yet. Quiet for now.]  

[Don’t let your guard down.]  

[When have I ever let my guard down? If you’re so worried, why don’t you come here yourself?]  

[Busy.]

“This brat. Aren’t you being a little too casual with your older sister?”

Han Jiyoon resisted the urge to call and scold the sender. She wasn’t the only one dispatched; others were busy too.

If the Elders were on the move, simultaneous attacks were possible. And while the Academy was critical, there were other facilities just as important to protect.

“And yet, students are running around recklessly without a shred of responsibility…” Han Jiyoon buried her face in her hands.

This wasn’t how things had always been. The trend started when superhumans began appearing on TV. They starred in commercials, dramas, and even internet streams. Superhumans became symbols of fame and wealth, their abilities a ticket to a glamorous future.

Of course, not everyone thought this way. Many students still admired superhumans for their sacrifices, training hard to live up to that ideal. They sweated and bled, fully aware they might lose their lives.

But even they would eventually realize: No matter how many monsters they defeated or villains they fought, it meant nothing if they didn’t become famous.

"This can’t go on…" Han Jiyoon muttered.  

Superhumans should carry a sense of responsibility. They shouldn’t be blinded by money and fame. But she couldn’t force them to share her beliefs. That was a matter of personal choice.

A troubling thought struck her suddenly.

“Am I turning into a stubborn old nag without realizing it? I’m only in my mid-20s!”

No way. If she started hearing people calling her old nag, it’d be over. She resolved to maintain an open mind. She didn't assume she was always right.

Knock, knock.

“Clan Lord… ahem, I mean, Professor."

The person who entered was a clan member disguised as an assistant.

“It’s about the new rank examiner you mentioned earlier.”  

“Oh, Examiner Baek Seojin? What about him?”  

“He just started an evaluation.”  

“Already?”  

“Yes.”

Han Jiyoon sighed, pressing her fingers to her temples. This was why the Academy needed to add ethics and morality to its curriculum.

Students were eager to show off their abilities, no matter the cost. They acted without hesitation, leaving the aftermath for others to handle.

The students knew the world would side with them over a lowly civil servant. What could anyone say if they argued, "How can someone so weak evaluate us?"

The controversy over civil servants gaining bonus points in exams for awakening superpowers had already caused enough backlash. If that civil servant turned out to have barely passable abilities? The media and public would have a field day.

“Who is it this time?”  

“Park Junwoo.”

Click, click.

Han Jiyoon quickly pulled up his profile.

Park Junwoo. Martial arts type. Entered as a C-rank. Reached the Gold evaluation standard by Academy metrics.

"…Why is someone eligible for a Gold evaluation taking the Silver test?"  

“You know how it works. If they skip tests or fail to meet standards, they can be demoted. Some abuse the system. They can always climb back up when they feel like it.”  

“These kids nowadays…”

Han Jiyoon caught herself mid-sentence. Don’t think like that! Don’t turn into an old nag!

“Anyway, Examiner Baek Seojin… he’s not seriously hurt, is he?”

Han Jiyoon spoke as if the examiner’s defeat was inevitable.

It was an unwinnable fight. Why else would someone with awakened powers choose to be a civil servant? It was the difference in talent. Awakening alone wasn’t enough; you needed the potential to grow stronger.

“And these students all have real combat experience…”

Superhumans without field experience were seen as useless. Civil servants with superpowers were often treated as such—neither ordinary civilians nor capable operatives.

“What a shame. He seemed like a decent guy. And he’s not bad-looking either…”

“Professor?”  

“What is it? Did he get hurt badly?”  

“No, it’s… the opposite.”  

“The opposite?”

Han Jiyoon blinked in confusion. The assistant continued hesitantly.

“Park Junwoo lost. Completely. Three of his ribs were broken.”  

“…What?”

Both Han Jiyoon and her assistant wore identical expressions of disbelief.

-Third Eye is Activated

◎ Baek Seojin  

Silver Gatekeeper

◎ Details:  

No one can pass without the Gatekeeper’s permission.

◎ Number Blocked:  

1 ( 1 / 10 )

The text displayed by Third Eye had changed.

Until just minutes ago, I was a low-level civil servant.

“Gatekeeper? The one who blocked me all those times… that’s me now?”

(TN: he is talking about his game rank that always lose whenever he almost ranked up from bronze to silver)

The description felt absurd. No one could pass without my permission?

“Was that strange moment earlier because of this?”

The sensation from moments ago lingered vividly.  

For a brief instant, I’d read Park Junwoo’s every move.

The tattooed thug, who couldn’t string together a coherent thought, had at least been skilled.

“But his movements felt so slow…”

It was like something out of a superhero movie. He was slow, I was fast. He was weak, I was strong. I evaded his attacks by a hair’s breadth and countered with precision.

This wasn’t luck. It wasn’t someone else fighting on my behalf. I instinctively knew I’d pushed my abilities to their absolute limit. The overwhelming fatigue afterward was proof of that.

“Have I ever been like this before?”

No, I hadn’t. If I had, I wouldn’t have become a civil servant. I’d have joined the Academy myself.

I’d chosen this life because I had powers but lacked the talent to use them effectively.

“So, there’s only one explanation.”

Third Eye—an ability that granted certainty about my opponent’s identity—had changed something within me.

“Gatekeeper, huh.”

I didn’t fully understand what had happened. But then again, I didn’t need to.

After all, had I ever truly understood why I’d become Baek Seojin?

“Examiner Baek Seojin!”

The security officer from earlier approached me, looking more urgent than before.

“That punk, Park Junwoo… he was writhing on the floor earlier. He didn’t actually die, did he?”

“What’s the situation with Park Junwoo?”  

“Oh, he’s in the infirmary.”  

“And his condition?”  

“They say three ribs are broken.”

Three broken ribs? That’s serious, isn’t it? Why was the officer speaking as if it were just a scratch?

“He’s likely resting with painkillers now. By the time he wakes up, his ribs will have healed, so don’t worry.”  

“I see…”

I’d forgotten. This was the Superhuman Academy. Their infirmary could restore severed limbs. Broken ribs were a minor inconvenience.

“Follow me. There’s somewhere you need to be.”

Somewhere I needed to be? That sounded ominous. I couldn’t refuse, though. Someone had been injured under my watch. Was I going to be held accountable? Couldn’t they consider the circumstances?

“I must say, Examiner, I was surprised.”  

“By what?”  

“Park Junwoo. His skill is undeniable. He nearly reached the Academy’s Gold rank in record time after enrolling. And yet, you defeated him in one move.”

I’d suspected he was skilled, but to that extent? The guy was a full-blown menace. Gold rank meant at least a C-rank superhuman. What had I done to deserve him targeting me?

“By the way… where are we going?”  

“Oh, I didn’t tell you? My apologies. You’ve been summoned by the Headmaster.”

The moment the officer mentioned the Headmaster, I let out an involuntary gasp.

White hair. Half-closed eyes. An elderly figure with an air of mystery. I was about to meet a living embodiment of the "Trinity of Old Age."

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