The Returnee Is Great at Teaching People a Lesson

Chapter 139: Excalibur

Behind the Magic tower cafeteria, in a narrow passage draped in the shadow of the tower.

Leo Valentino and the Model student stood facing each other.

Leo was the first to speak.

"You…… just what is your true identity."

His voice was calm, but it was a mixture of doubt and wariness.

"……."

The Model student was still silent.

He just looked at Leo, his face buried in the darkness.

Leo took one step closer.

"Kang Tae-wook, the one I fought? At first, I thought he was just an A-Rank who awakened a natural-type ability."

Leo’s eyes wavered.

"But during the fight yesterday. Several times, I thought of him as an S-Rank. I briefly felt the presence from him that one should only feel when facing an S-Rank, a Transcendent."

Despite Leo’s sincere pouring out of his thoughts, the Model student maintained a calm expression.

"Honestly, I didn't want to admit it, so I didn't show it in front of him. But it's true that I was surprised."

Leo touched his forehead and let out a low laugh.

A laugh that sounded like self-mockery.

"Even so, Excalibur did not react."

Along with those words.

Leo lightly tapped the scabbard at his waist.

A brilliant sword with a golden hue.

The holy relic of Rome drew both of their gazes.

"This sword always reacts when it senses a strong person. It was like that with other Transcendents, the Heavenly King, the Supreme King, and even your homeroom teacher, the Demon King. There were no exceptions."

And then, he slowly looked at the Model student.

"Still, this sword did not react to that guy Kang Tae-wook, who fought me. Not even to him, whom I felt was an S-Rank. But."

Leo caught his breath.

"Why does such a sword react only to you?"

A single black-haired student from whom almost no presence or mana could be felt.

A child who seemed ordinary, didn't stand out, and almost never raised his voice.

"Speak. What on earth are you?"

However, because he was the owner of the sword, he could feel it clearly.

That the fellow in front of him was stronger than Kang Tae-wook, whom he had perceived as an S-Rank.

That the holy relic Excalibur was saying so.

"……."

The Model student remained silent until the end.

"I know the faces of every S-Rank in the entire world. And I know that I am the most recently registered S-Rank. Therefore, officially, there is no S-Rank that came out after me."

Leo’s voice shook slightly.

"Kang Tae-wook, whom I fought, and the child named Jin-ho who was beside him. From my standards, they possess power that doesn't seem like that of an A-Rank. What are you guys? Did you receive some special training from the Returnee… no. Did you receive power from him?"

From the perspective of Leo’s world.

That was the only answer he could reach.

The Demon King, the last Returnee.

He, who was acting as their homeroom teacher, had bestowed special power upon these children.

That was why these children became strong.

There was no other explanation.

The eyes of the incessantly talking Leo curved fiercely.

It was because his patience had finally bottomed out due to the Model student, who hadn't said a single word despite all this talking.

"Speak. Did you receive some strange power from your Returnee?"

"……."

The Model student did not say anything this time either.

His answer might be wrong.

It could be that these children’s talents were simply exceptional.

But between S-Rank and A-Rank—no, within the ranks—there exists a wall that can absolutely never be crossed.

That is why higher ranks.

Power rules over this Awakening era.

Therefore, no matter how much he thought, there was only one answer.

Kang Tae-wook, Jin-ho.

And the Model student in front of him.

They all must have received power from the Returnee.

Leo’s blue eyes captured the Model student coldly.

Silence followed.

The sound of children chatting in the distance could be heard faintly, and a summer breeze that wasn't exactly cool brushed past his cheek.

Nevertheless, the Model student still just stared piercingly at Leo without answering.

While his patience had bottomed out, at the same time, the feeling that nothing would change even if he heard the answer bloomed within him.

Honestly, it didn't matter.

Whether they received power from a Returnee or not, it didn't matter to him at all.

He didn't need that kind of power anyway.

Because he already believed he was strong.

Only.

Even putting all that aside.

Just one thing.

This alone, he could not give up on no matter what.

"If you want to hide it, I don't really intend to listen. But I want to hear this at least. You, are you actually an S-Rank?"

At that voice, a crack appeared in the expression of the Model student, who had maintained a blank face.

A minute shift.

Discovering that, Leo threw one more comment at the Model student.

"It's even premature to conclude you're an S-Rank. Explain it. Why does my Excalibur classify you as a 'danger'?"

It was at that moment.

The Model student’s pupils turned very slowly, gradually toward Leo.

Head-on.

Accurately.

Leo instinctively gulped.

There was no emotion in that expression.

It wasn't anger, embarrassment, mockery, or disregard.

Just

Nothingness.

And silence followed.

The youngest S-Rank.

A genius among geniuses whose talent and expectations could not be compared to any other S-Rank.

On top of that, an existence possessing the holy relic called the strongest artifact.

Goosebumps began to rise on Leo Valentino’s body.

Just by facing him.

Just by looking into those black pupils, it felt as if his body and mind would crumble.

The one who broke the long silence was not Leo, but the Model student.

He hadn't expected his mouth to open, so he was surprised, but at the voice that came out of his mouth, Leo was even more shocked, his body and mind hardening like stone.

"It's not classifying you as a danger. It’s reacting to its true master."

"……."

The protagonist of this silence was Leo.

The stone-hardened Leo felt a painful sensation as if he were suffering from sleep paralysis.

He could hear the beating of his heart.

He felt a bead of sweat drop down his spine.

Nevertheless, his body did not move.

Naturally, his lips didn't either.

Even swallowing saliva did not happen according to his will.

"There is no guarantee that just because it's at your waist now, it will be with you forever."

It was when the Model student turned his body, leaving behind those mysterious words.

"Hey, what are you guys doing there?"

At the voice heard from afar, the Model student, who had turned his body just in time, moved his legs and left the spot.

Leo Valentino was left alone.

Expression had vanished from his face.

And although his lips were not moving, he was screaming.

He, who thought he was sitting above the clouds.

He, who took pride in having transcended humanity.

'Excalibur…… will be taken away…….'

A fear he had never felt even once.

He was feeling fear.

By the time Yoo jin arrived, the two had already moved apart.

Concerned about Tae-wook, Yoo jin had been keeping Tae-wook and Jin-ho, who were leaning against the cafeteria railing, in his sight.

Because Tae-wook and Jin-ho, whom he was watching, were frozen while looking somewhere, Yoo jin’s gaze naturally had to head there as well.

And there, he discovered Leo and the Model student together.

Yoo jin, who watched for a bit, moved his body quickly.

Neither of them were the type to move so easily, but because of what happened yesterday.

He knew it wouldn't be strange no matter what happened.

So he moved as fast as possible, but…….

"What? It seems like nothing much happened."

It was such a short time.

And since there was no clash of force or loud voices, Yoo jin was slightly relieved.

It wasn't a major worry, but there had been a very slight uneasy feeling.

Well, it was a relief that nothing big happened.

"Though that might not exactly be the case……."

Yoo jin’s expression sank as he looked at Leo.

He didn't know what kind of conversation they had shared.

But Leo’s face was pale.

The focus of his pupils was gone.

S-Rank.

Since he had watched the battle with Kang Tae-wook just yesterday, Yoo jin knew just how strong this youngest S-Rank was.

Therefore, he couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"Is it…… time to have a talk……."

Yoo jin’s gaze was fixed on the back of the receding Model student.

Thus, the second day's tour came to an end.

Dinner time.

Rome Academy cafeteria.

The entire circular hall was surrounded by a buffet.

"I want to eat here for the rest of my life."

"Teacher, can't we come here every day?"

"Be satisfied with about a week. If you come here for even a month, your weight will go from two digits to three."

Despite Yoo Jin's blunt answer, the children's eyes were already fixed on the meat section.

"Steak! Pasta! Potato!"

"Is this school lunch or a hotel buffet."

It was when the twins, holding trays, were piling up chunks of meat like a mountain.

Thump.

Thump.

Familiar footsteps heard from somewhere.

"Bro! Today is chicken breast!"

"Get out! A chicken appeared in my dreams yesterday too!"

Seong-hyeon’s scream echoed.

Beside him, Yelena said as he filled his plate with chicken breast.

"Today we are cutting carbs!"

"Please save me!!!!"

"Muscle! Muscle!"

As Yelena tried to put his arm around his shoulder, Seong-hyeon held his tray like a shield and ran away.

"Help me, Teacher!"

"……."

Yoo jin’s eyes became a straight line.

Beside him, the twins closed their eyes and made a gesture of offering a silent prayer.

Thus, Seong-hyeon’s screams filled the cafeteria.

Yoo Jin moved his gaze to capture the children.

The twins, who were soaked in happiness in front of the meat again after finishing their prayer.

Ye-na, who discovered high-quality butter at the bread corner and cheered.

The children who had become quite close with the foreign students assigned to each dormitory.

Jin-ho and Tae-wook, for whom being together had now become natural.

And in a corner, the Model student, who was eating quietly with small portions of salad and pasta on his plate.

"……."

Yoo jin’s gaze stayed there for a very brief moment.

Hardly opening his mouth, with an expression that barely changed.

However, something massive was squirming inside.

'If it's now, while he's eating alone…….'

The moment Yoo jin was about to take a step, thinking he should have a proper talk for once.

"Teacher."

Lee Si-wang slipped up beside him.

On his plate was a balanced diet with a proper mix of meat and salad.

"What. What now."

"Just because. The children's expressions look good."

"Yeah."

Yoo Jin answered shortly.

"I guess people act as teachers for this kind of reward, right?"

"You're the one who whined that even a one-hour class was hard."

"When was that? Haha."

At Lee Si-wang's laugh, a small smile spread on Yoo jin’s face as well.

Still.

"Well, I guess I'm a teacher for this reward."

The children's laughter.

What more would he need than this?

The reason he returned.

The reason he endured a hundred years of trials.

And the reason he flew all the way to Rome despite the hassle.

All of it.

Was because he wanted to see the children's smiles.

The smell of grilling meat, the sound of children's laughter, the bustling air where foreign languages and Korean were mixed.

Everyone’s definition of happiness might be different.

Returnee.

Demon King.

Power to obtain everything.

For Yoo jin, who possessed that.

Just this moment was more than any money or power.

More than material things….

It was happiness.

Yoo Jin, who was smiling like that, moved his gaze toward the Model student once more.

As if he had just finished his meal.

The Model student stood up first.

He was leaving the cafeteria just like that.

'Well… there's still time.'

Thus, Yoo jin postponed the conversation between the two of them until later.

That night.

The sound of snoring, the sound of tossing and turning, the children’s vivid sleep-talking.

A late hour when all the lights of Rome Academy were turned off and everyone was asleep.

A door to a practice room in the Magic tower opened quietly.

Click.

A place where faint mana lights shone.

It was the practice room where the World Tree root was.

And someone moved their footsteps there.

However, no one was visible.

At least, to the eyes.

The mana sensors that were blinking for security soon turned off completely.

As if the flow of mana had 'vanished.'

Along the passage, invisible footsteps walked quietly inside.

Inside the transparent protective shield placed in the center.

The tree that had sprouted from the World Tree root fragment was glowing faintly.

In front of it.

The Model student revealed himself.

His silhouette, having released his stealth, emerged in the light.

It was a level of stealth even higher than Ye-na’s stealth skill, which even a Returnee could not detect.

"……."

As his form appeared, the Model student’s face was vividly revealed.

His expression was still blank.

Only his pupils were looking somewhere very deep.

The Model student took one more step closer.

The World Tree root shook minutely.

As if it recognized something.

He muttered lowly.

"Since I've drawn enough attention with Excalibur……."

His mouth, which was always heavy, was light now.

"I didn't come to take a mere holy relic."

His gaze pierced straight into the World Tree root.

A root fragment that came from another world.

That is to say…….

The essence of natural Demonic Energy, and the tree that supports the universe.

The Model student was seeing through a secret that only a Returnee would know.

"Now…… it begins."

The three destructions that even the President could not prevent.

That fourth destruction began again from today.