I Possessed a Broken Academy Instructor

When ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Jin Crow entered the principal's office, Ideale sat there absentmindedly for quite some time, sipping her coffee as though reminiscing about something before finally picking up the paperwork.

That ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍absent-minded state continued for several more minutes.

For ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a moment, Jin Crow even wondered whether she was so furious that she had become incapable of speaking, but once she let out a quiet sigh and stamped the document, he was able to relax.

“Get ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍out at once!”

Though ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he left the principal's office under Ideale's furious shout, the frontline inspection proposal in his hand now bore the principal's official seal.

That ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍worked out well.

If she hadn't approved it this time either, he had been seriously considering contacting the Rosen faction.

Of course, it had only been one possible option, and the chances of it actually working were practically nonexistent.

‘It's a little later than I'd hoped, but compared to the original...’

Had Ideale heard that thought, she would have been utterly dumbfounded.

But Jin Crow merely found it regrettable.

Even so, it wasn't bad.

No—

compared to the situation in the original story he had read, this was far more hopeful.

Some might think that was an exaggeration.

But devoted readers knew.

They knew just how horrifying a hell the author had hidden beneath such concise and lighthearted prose.

‘In the original, the frontline inspection didn't begin until the Riders of the Stars had reached their third year.’

The situation back then...

Even putting it kindly, it had been a complete disaster.

The original never described it in detail, but the Free Planetary Alliance had steadily joined hands with the Red Hand under Stero Mer's control, quietly plotting behind the scenes.

The Creatures had launched scattered invasions across both the Empire's and the Federation's territories, ravaging countless worlds.

Combined casualties had surpassed one hundred billion people.

And that wasn't all.

Relations between the Empire and the Federation had deteriorated dramatically.

As though by prior agreement, pro-war factions among politicians and civilians alike in both nations continued to gain influence.

The atmosphere reeked of war.

The Creatures rampaged unchecked.

That had been the state of affairs when the original story first approved the frontline inspection.

‘Whereas now...’

Diplomatically, the Empire and the Federation still maintained the appearance of peaceful relations.

Meanwhile, the Mercato Incident had served as an unmistakable warning to those who had dismissed the threat of the Creatures.

Of course, compared to the original, the threat would still be underestimated.

After all, from the perspective of civilians and military officials who hadn't experienced it firsthand, the results alone made the battle look like an undeniable victory.

‘But the moment they calculate the losses... they'll realize.’

The Ministry of National Defense changing its stance was proof enough.

There was nothing more conservative than the military.

The larger the organization, the stronger its inertia toward preserving existing methods.

And yet that same organization had increased support for Professor Lillian and Professor Lee Su-jong while establishing Creature studies at every Special-duty Officer Academy.

Wasn't that undeniable proof that they no longer regarded Creatures as mere space beasts, but as a genuine enemy?

“One burden's been lifted.”

Muttering to himself, he walked toward a nearby smoking area and put a cigarette between his lips.

The moment he lit it, he folded the paperwork in his hand and tucked it inside his uniform.

‘If I had my way, I'd take everyone immediately...’

There was no way Ideale would approve an external inspection involving all five hundred cadets at once.

Each year enrolled roughly fifteen hundred cadets.

If one-third of them left campus together and something happened, how could anyone possibly deal with the consequences?

And even if approval were somehow granted, there remained the problems of assigning enough instructors to supervise them, the budget, and cooperation from the local military.

That was a completely different issue from merely changing policy.

Even Ludvik Lee, the Senior Instructor, had needed approval six months in advance just to take seventy-five cadets.

Jin Crow couldn't take everyone either.

Naturally, the priority had to be the Riders of the Stars.

They were effectively the protagonists of this world.

They needed to grow stronger as quickly as possible.

But the galaxy was vast.

Merely raising their level wouldn't be enough to win the coming war.

‘The top fifty. For now, that's enough.’

Ideally, he wanted to take at least a hundred.

But that damned factionalism remained the problem.

‘Senior Instructor Ludvik Lee. A minor faction.’

Even a Senior Instructor from a minor faction had only taken seventy-five cadets.

If Jin Crow, who belonged to the Rosen faction, suddenly took a hundred...

No matter how he explained it, accusations of favoritism would inevitably follow.

Minor factions couldn't simply be ignored.

As he'd said before, they were only called "minor."

If they all united, their combined influence rivaled both Kukenhauzen and Rosen.

Ideale hated factionalism.

But that didn't mean she was the type to completely ignore political realities and everyone's opinions.

“If she were, she'd have been removed long ago.”

Flicking the ash from his cigarette into the ashtray, he began walking toward the instructors' office.

Martial Arts–type cadets sparred constantly.

Naturally so.

What exactly were Martial Arts–types?

They were people who had awakened Psionic energy through centuries of physical strengthening and training, transcending the limits of humanity itself.

Competitiveness and the drive for self-improvement were practically engraved into their DNA.

The bustling training grounds were simply the natural result.

“Baek Hui-young! Spar with me!”

“......Sigh.”

“You're popular, Hui-young.”

“Beatus, not you too...”

And naturally, the one who appeared at the training grounds most often was Dokgo Ran.

The problem was that after Baek Hui-young had split the Knight T.D. in half, Dokgo Ran had become completely fixated on him.

At first, he'd indulged her a few times.

She probably didn't realize it herself, but simply surviving until the very end at Mercato already proved her potential.

She was someone from whom there was much to learn.

The real problem...

Was that once she became obsessed with something, she bit down and never let go.

“Stop hiding, Baek Hui-young!”

“......This is the men's dormitory, you crazy bitch.”

After ignoring her several times, Baek Hui-young could only admit how naive he had been upon seeing her shouting from outside his window.

Jin Crow.

Lately, he'd been thinking about him so much that he'd made the mistake of forgetting Dokgo Ran's true nature from his previous regressions.

‘Before earning the title of Fierce General, her nickname had always been Crazy Bitch.’

The Riders of the Stars' epithets often changed with each regression.

There had been times when Famille earned the title Wise General.

There had even been a time when Beatus was called Virtuous General.

But Dokgo Ran never changed.

No matter what hardships she endured.

No matter what incident she survived.

She had always consistently retained the title of Crazy Bitch.

“Spar! Definitely spar again!”

“...Sigh.”

Looking at her gnashing her teeth outside the window like an angry puppy whose chew toy had been stolen, Baek Hui-young finally surrendered.

“......At least have some dignity, Dokgo Ran.”

“You'll spar with me?”

“I will, so now get lost.”

“O-Ohhh! You promised!”

Dokgo Ran immediately leaped from the fourth-floor window and landed perfectly in the backyard of the men's dormitory.

“W-What was that?”

“Catch her!”

The dormitory supervisor androids spotted her at that moment and began chasing after her.

By then, however, Dokgo Ran had already vaulted over the wall.

Watching her bronze-skinned figure disappear rapidly into the forest beyond the window amidst the commotion, Baek Hui-young remained silent.

...Did she even know?

That there were countless cadets who secretly liked her but couldn't bring themselves to approach her.

Her bronze skin.

Her muscular physique.

Her cheerful personality.

Even those distinctive fangs.

In fact, wasn't it during his third regression?

Back when he had tried recruiting as many academy cadets as possible because gathering the Riders of the Stars seemed impossible...

The romantic advice he heard most often had all concerned Dokgo Ran.

‘Who did she end up with in the end...?’

As that thought surfaced, Baek Hui-young quickly realized it was pointless and shook his head.

Then, to avoid any unnecessary trouble, he lowered the window blinds and pulled out a notebook he had hidden deep inside his room before picking up his pen.

Slowly reading through the chaotic handwriting—

something that would leave anyone who saw it convinced he knew the future—

Baek Hui-young gradually crossed out the events that had gone differently during this regression.

Mercato fell into the hands of Tita Zenorua and Geum Gang-hyeok. There won't be an immediate conflict, but confrontation is inevitable in the future.

Creature studies were established earlier than in any previous regression, and their expansion is progressing just as quickly. ......Variable: Instructor Jin Crow.

His motives (unknown). His objective appears to be preparing for war against the Creatures...

He stopped writing there.

Setting the pen down, he brushed back his messy gray hair in frustration and narrowed his hazy gray eyes.

Tap.

Tap.

The capped pen rhythmically struck the paper.

But his thoughts refused to settle.

Eventually, he took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

‘I'll take the demerit points.’

Cadets at the Special-duty Officer Academy were adults.

That wasn't because of ethics.

It was simply because anyone younger wouldn't be able to endure the training, and there was a risk their potential would be ruined.

Though mentally...

Many of them still hadn't matured.

In any case, there was nothing illegal about smoking.

However, this was an academy that trained soldiers.

Naturally, smoking was prohibited for cadets.

But wasn't human nature to want something even more once it was forbidden?

There were always smugglers willing to supply contraband to both male and female cadets alike.

Thanks to that, Baek Hui-young had obtained cigarettes without much difficulty.

“......Haa.”

He didn't smoke often.

During his most recent regression, he'd quit after promising to marry Miel.

But now...

What meaning did that hold?

All of it had become something that had never happened.

Only during moments when he felt suffocated did he allow himself to smoke.

That was the bare minimum with which he honored the memories of those bygone days.

“Jin Crow.”

He refused to simply let himself be consumed by frustration, uncertainty, and memories of the past.

Holding the half-burned cigarette between his teeth, he once again pressed his pen against the notebook and continued organizing the current situation.

The Red Hand will inevitably go out of control. Their target is most likely the Federation, but with Mercato no longer serving as the catalyst, their movements remain unpredictable.

High probability that the Ministry of National Defense will soon summon Ideale and Instructor Jin Crow for an anti-Creature strategy conference. The possibility of the Empire attacking the Central Special-duty Officer Academy, like during the fourth regression, is low.

Church of Cosmic Truth. Uncertain whether Professor Lee Su-jong belongs to it.

None of those were matters an ordinary cadet should be analyzing with certainty.

Even so, Baek Hui-young calmly predicted the future suited to this particular regression.

For now, it meant nothing.

At present, he was merely a cadet showing slightly above-average promise.

But once he commissioned and built his own faction, he would need every tiny variable committed to memory if he wished to act independently.

That realization was both a notebook of mistakes accumulated over countless regressions...

And the merciless curse of knowledge.

How much time passed as he continued filling the notebook?

Why exactly did Instructor Jin Crow change? And...

At last, faced with the final question he had unconsciously postponed until the very end, Baek Hui-young could no longer endure it and lit another cigarette.

Must I kill him?

It was...

A truly dreadful...

Terrifying dilemma.

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