Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 4

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 004

 

 

Having reached my conclusion, I stepped straight into the classroom without hesitation.

 

I definitely did that.

 

“…!”

 

As soon as I took a step, my legs were suddenly lifted off the ground.

 

Before I knew it, my body was in the hallway, far from the door, and I was half-lifted in the air.

 

‘Seal Class teacher?’

 

Absurdly, Kwon Hae-seong had lifted my torso and pulled me back.

And before I could even question this situation, Kang Sa-gwa closed the classroom door that had been open.

 

-Click.

 

“Follow the Manual… First, I’ll go get the Control Device. Wait here until then.”

 

As if it were a simple matter, Kwon Hae-seong gently set me down and tried to go find the Control Device.

 

I barely managed to hold onto my mind that was about to go blank from what happened in an instant. Then I grabbed Kwon Hae-seong’s arm as he was about to go down the stairs.

 

“You want to use the Control Device on the kids in this situation?”

 

No. This isn’t something that should be resolved that way.

 

“Of course? They’re not ordinary kids… That can’t be stopped easily.”

 

Kwon Hae-seong looked like he couldn’t understand why I was trying to stop him.

 

I somewhat agree with his words too. At least the part about them not being ordinary kids.

 

‘But the Control Device is still not okay.’

 

Especially if what I saw in the Resource Learning Room was the Control Device.

 

“How are you going to put it on them after bringing the Control Device?”

 

“I can do it… I’ve done it a few times. If I control it well.”

 

“Is it safe?”

 

“Me? Or…”

 

“The children, obviously.”

 

At my answer, Kwon Hae-seong, who looked dumbfounded, gave an unexpected response.

 

“Um… I can’t guarantee it. If I quickly approach and knock them unconscious…”

 

“…Have you always done it that way before?”

 

“Usually, yes… I knock them unconscious. That’s the fastest way, and there’s nothing better than the Control Device for swift situation resolution.”

 

The more I hear, the more ridiculous it gets.

 

I asked just in case, but there was no such thing as a safe way to put on the Control Device.

 

Using Control Devices meant for awakened criminals on 7-year-old children. And making them unconscious when necessary is routine.

 

“I’ll just handle it myself.”

 

I said, letting go of Kwon Hae-seong’s arm.

 

“How are you going to do it?”

 

And in the meantime, Kang Sa-gwa, who had been quietly watching the situation by the door, interjected with a question.

 

I turned my body to quietly stare at her.

 

Of course, I don’t have a specific plan drawn up other than avoiding the Control Device.

 

However, standing still like this won’t suddenly produce good ideas either.

 

Maybe this is a simple problem.

 

Kids fighting each other? Stop them and it’s over. Then scold them or make them reconcile.

 

Just putting on Control Devices because it’s dangerous is something that makes even less sense by my standards.

 

Control Devices are so suffocating and scary.

 

“Can you take responsibility?”

 

“Sa-gwa.”

 

A pale arm blocked between me and the door. Park I-deun also pointed out Kang Sa-gwa’s tone, but didn’t stop her.

 

‘What’s the reason for stopping me this much?’

 

It’s strange to call it simple hazing. I suppressed the rising irritation and spoke in a rather calm tone instead.

 

“Then, who will take responsibility?”

 

“….”

 

“I’m the teacher in charge of Dolphin Class.”

 

Even if I’m a complete rookie teacher who just started work today, the responsibility for our class lies with me.

 

“….”

 

He’s asking something so obvious.

 

A brief silence flowed, and after a moment, the arm that had been blocking me lowered.

 

I slowly approached the door and opened the sliding door again.

 

When the closed door opened again… hell was spread out before me.

 

***

 

‘Is this place hell?’

 

It was a completely different scene from just moments before.

 

The burning smell had gotten worse, and thick smoke filled the air.

 

The inside of the classroom was sweltering with heat like a boiling cauldron, and the wallpaper here and there had turned pitch black.

 

‘What happened in that short time?’

 

I had come after about 5 minutes of arguing, but the classroom had become a hellish pit of fire.

 

It was hard to even guess what changes of heart the two children had experienced in that brief moment.

 

“Wo, wow… What is this? It’s pretty severe today, isn’t it?”

 

“Teacher… even now, according to the Manual…”

 

“If you can’t handle it, please let us know.”

 

‘From their reactions, this scale doesn’t seem to be normal.’

 

Quickly scanning the surroundings, I first saw broken glass fragments scattered on the floor and furniture and large toys floating in the air.

 

But there was an even bigger problem than these things.

 

Study desks and large furniture were tangled messily around the twins like a barricade.

 

Those precarious things looked dangerous, as if they would collapse at any moment.

 

“It doesn’t look like it’ll be easy to approach them like that.”

 

Park I-deun must have had the same thought, as she looked at the problematic barricade and spoke.

 

…Actually, when it comes to just approaching, that’s fortunately the least of our worries.

 

I hardened my expression at a more serious problem with that barricade.

 

The fact that all the furniture was made of wooden materials that catch fire easily.

 

It was still okay for now, but soon those furniture pieces would also catch fire. And if they collapsed, the twins would be in danger.

 

‘I should have stopped it early on.’

 

It was a mistake. I should have ignored Kwon Hae-seong’s dissuasion and taken care of the kids first.

 

‘But now isn’t the time for this.’

 

There was no time to discuss past regrets. I immediately moved my body.

 

The surreal scene unfolding with just one door between us didn’t feel as threatening as I’d expected.

 

Ignorance is bliss—isn’t that exactly like me right now?

 

“Huh? Huh? Are you really going in?”

 

“It’s dangerous if you go…”

 

“Leave them be. They said they can handle it, so let’s wait and see.”

 

Ignoring the words I heard from behind, I steadily moved forward.

 

Though it was a classroom of less than about 30 pyeong, it wasn’t easy to navigate through the thick smoke while avoiding obstacles scattered here and there.

 

I covered my nose and mouth with my arm and moved cautiously step by step.

 

“Seo-ro! Seo-ra!”

 

I put strength into my voice and called out the two children’s names.

 

“Seo-ro! Seo-ra!”

 

Being inside the classroom that was no different from a steamer, sweat poured down like rain. Not only that, but obstacles floating somewhere unpredictably hit my face and body as they passed by, injuring me.

 

“…Ugh!!”

 

I briefly stopped walking when something struck my side hard.

 

‘Wow, I’m seeing stars.’

 

Whatever had hit me and passed by, it was such intense pain that I momentarily forgot to breathe.

 

After experiencing even this, it was natural to worry about whether the children were okay.

 

No matter how much those two were A-grade awakeners, to my eyes they were just kids.

 

‘Too dangerous. I need to hurry.’

 

Just as worry was burning me up inside, voices came through the smoke again.

 

“Hey! Lee Seo-ro!! Stop showing off!”

 

“I never showed off. And it would’ve been fine if you hadn’t stolen my snacks.”

 

“I said I don’t like chocolate snacks!”

 

“I don’t like chocolate. But I never said I don’t eat chocolate snacks.”

 

“Hey! That’s the same thing!!”

 

…Better than I thought.

 

They seem so busy fighting they can’t even see the current situation.

 

“Phew…”

 

This aside, I’m going crazy.

 

The acrid smoke kept filling my eyes and nose relentlessly, forcing me to cough several times. Tears kept welling up and coughs burst out regardless of my will.

 

The moment I bent over from another cough trying to come out.

 

-Swoosh.

 

-Thud!! Clatter clatter bang!! Bang bang!!

 

Something large… swept quickly past my hair.

 

At the dull noise from behind, my spine went cold even in the sweltering classroom.

 

I only turned my head to check what had grazed my head by a hair’s breadth.

 

A mobile learning bulletin board.

 

“…Crazy.”

 

It’s used for recording educational materials and various schedules to be learned each day.

 

But now it was so mangled you could hardly guess its purpose.

 

I looked at the mobile learning bulletin board smashed into the wall, then my gaze moved to the non-woven fabric that had fallen below it.

 

On it was emblazoned the large title “This Month’s Praised Child.”

 

Once a month, children selected under ever-changing themes like “good children who helped the teacher” or “friends who eat well” receive a kind of sense of achievement and reward…

 

‘One thing’s for sure – the twins’ names aren’t on this month’s praised children list.’

 

Having decided on one ‘punishment’ to give the twins, I turned my head without regret.

 

-Whoooosh.

 

As I reached the window area, my hair briefly fluttered then stuck to my cheek.

 

Due to the sudden visual obstruction, I quickly brushed my hair back with my hand and soon realized one fact.

 

‘Come to think of it, when I first saw it, several windows were already broken.’

 

Just from what I could roughly see, 3 out of the 4 largest windows were blown out.

 

And there was something I overlooked in the chaos – broken windows also meant facing one unavoidable fact.

 

The chance of dying from suffocation might decrease… but at the same time, the wind could make the fire grow bigger.

 

‘No way…’

 

At the chilling sensation on my neck, I hurriedly looked around and sure enough, the flames that were only fist-sized when I first came in had grown unrecognizably large.

 

‘I couldn’t check properly because of the smoke.’

 

I reflexively thought of a fire extinguisher but quickly dismissed the idea.

 

In this case, a fire extinguisher might not work.

 

Not only was the range too wide, but flames created by an awakener’s ability didn’t extinguish easily.

 

That’s why spaces with awakeners usually had separate suppression equipment or devices mixed with special chemicals.

 

Having reached this point in my thoughts, I recalled what seemed like the only way to break through the current situation.

 

“Aren’t there any sprinklers here?”

 

In educational facilities like kindergartens, sprinkler installation is mandatory to prepare for fires.

 

Special sprinklers that have a wider suppression range than fire extinguishers and are installed in all recently constructed buildings.

 

‘There must be some.’

 

Quickly checking the blind spots first, I could see 4 sprinklers at each corner of the classroom ceiling.

 

However, for some reason, the sprinklers that should have been spraying water long ago weren’t working.

 

“…!”

 

This is fucking insane.

 

…There was a problem.

 

Some crazy bastard had covered all the sprinklers with rubber tape, blocking them completely.

 

‘How many layers did they put on?’

 

I was deeply curious about the face of whoever had so carefully taped over those things, but that wasn’t the immediate concern right now.

 

‘I’ll deal with you later.’

 

I postponed my appointment with that lunatic for later and approached the nearest sprinkler.

 

Then I picked up a broom rolling around on the floor and stretched it toward the sprinkler with all my might.

 

…Naturally, it didn’t reach at all.

 

‘Not even close.’

 

The 3rd Floor was the top floor, with high ceilings that couldn’t be reached just by stretching your arms a bit.

 

I tried it just in case, but as expected.

 

All the furniture around that I could step on was either broken or floating in the air.

 

Even if Kwon Hae-seong, the tallest among the teachers, came, it would look difficult.

 

“…”

 

I calmly looked around and my gaze stopped on a tree visible through the broken window.

 

I hesitated for just a moment, then quickly steeled my resolve.

 

‘It might not work, but I have to try something.’

 

I couldn’t be certain, but if it worked, a viable plan had come to mind.

 

I ran back the way I came and asked the teachers still standing in front of the door.

 

“Abilities! What are all your abilities?”

 

Everyone seemed surprised seeing me burst out of the smoke in such a state, but they still answered diligently.

 

“Physical Enhancement Type Awakener. I’m purely just strong though…”

 

Kwon Hae-seong is a pass.

 

“I’m a Body Transformation Awakener, you know? Roughly like changing like a chameleon. Oh, right, I brought a Control Device here.”

 

“No, put it away. We can’t use that right now.”

 

Yu Jin-chae also isn’t suitable.

 

“Summoner. I can summon most things if they’re the size of one hand.”

 

Kang Sa-gwa is also a pass.

 

“Me too? Hmm, I don’t think I’ll be much help. I’m Plant Type C-rank. You know Jack and the Beanstalk…? It’s a kind of subdivided category within Plant Type called Growth Acceleration Type… Well, yeah, something like that?”

 

Found her.

 

I wiped the sweat dripping down with my sleeve and grabbed Park I-deun’s shoulder.

 

The corners of my mouth lifted on their own.

 

“Teacher, please help me.”

 

“…Me?”

 

Yes, you.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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