The Academy’s Unrivaled Professor - Chapter 85
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Academy Absolute Professor Episode 85
Well done.
Thursday morning, Kang Hyun attended the conference again.
The moment he stepped in, Dang So-yu, who had arrived early and taken her seat, felt a flash of warmth cross her eyes.
Of course, she quickly stiffened her expression, aware of the Public Security officers watching.
‘Almost there.’
Kang Hyun’s lips curved upward as he swept his gaze over her with eyes nearly equal to Heaven’s Eye.
The flow of venom threading through her Qi Circulation had become noticeably smoother—she must have practiced hard through the night.
– You’ve honed it well. Today I’ll teach you how to open the next threshold.
‘Oh!’
Dang So-yu’s shoulders gave a small start.
‘Yes!’
She nodded once, feigning drowsiness, and Kang Hyun began to recite the Incantations.
Dang So-yu was quick to learn.
She absorbed the Incantations he offered the way a starving newborn swallows its mother’s milk—frantically, without pause.
‘This is it! Ah! Everything that felt stuck yesterday is suddenly coming clear!’
She was overjoyed at the realization that she could control it far better this way than before.
– Try again from here. If anything is lacking, I’ll advise you.
He spent a full two hours with her like that.
Watching how quickly she grasped and applied the Incantations, Kang Hyun found himself inwardly impressed.
‘She has real depth in Poison Mastery, and her understanding of medicine is substantial.’
That meant she observed her own body far more acutely.
– You do well.
Those who had studied under Kang Hyun would know.
How stingy he was with praise.
‘You deserve to be recognized.’
Those born with the Heavenly Poison Body—every moment of their lives from birth onward was pain and hell.
Most harbored resentment or murderous intent, or surrendered to despair. They did not study medicine.
How lonely and agonizing her existence must have been?
Kang Hyun found her will and resolve admirable.
– I’ll teach you this much. When you return to China, if you keep practicing what I’ve shown you, you should be able to control the poison to some degree. But you’ll need to learn far more to master it completely.
Kang Hyun rose from his seat, leaving the words to resonate.
Dang So-yu’s heart sank.
Today was the last day of the conference.
Which meant?
From now on, she might never see that man again.
‘No.’
He had given her Opportunity without asking anything in return.
He had even praised her.
Dang So-yu learned for the first time that recognition from someone could taste this sweet.
– Today is Korea’s Arc Field, so I must go.
Korea’s Arc Field unfolds in the afternoon.
– Practice often. Living like everyone else, living an ordinary life… it’s harder than you think.
Saying it’s hard is not the same as saying it’s impossible.
With effort, it might just be within reach.
Having left those resonant words, Kang Hyun departed the observation area without hesitation.
‘No! You can’t go!’
Whoosh!
Dang So-yu turned her head, her lips moving urgently.
‘I want to talk more with you!’
Without knowing sound transmission, her words did not reach him.
And with his back turned, he would not see the shape of her lips.
Noting her strange state, the Public Security officer asked her something.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“…….”
Irritation flared.
Yes.
Normally, she would have thought of it simply.
She was dangerous, after all. A person who brought harm to others.
Being controlled like this was only natural.
I make poison for them, and in return they give me a place to sleep and food to eat.
I tried to think positively about it, but today that didn’t work.
‘This is irritating.’
It was an emotion I hadn’t felt in a long time.
‘I need to meet that person. Who do you think you are, blocking my way?’
* * *
Afternoon, at the Arc Field.
“Now, here comes the last country! Professor Jin from Korea’s delegation? Please come up to the platform.”
Jin Myung-hun stepped onto the stage, tension etched across his face.
Beside him stood the accompanying professors from Japan and Thailand.
‘Hmm.’
Many seats in the audience were already empty.
It was the final day, the final dungeon clear.
The crowd’s interest had effectively cooled long ago.
Still, there were some spectators watching—probably thinking something like this.
‘It’s just a wipeout show for a minor nation anyway. Might as well watch them get stomped.’
Click.
Jin Myung-hun placed his hand on the device.
Please, let it be A-rank. Please.
The easiest one in that tier, if possible.
Just this once, I want to shake off last year’s disgrace.
I want to remain a professor who guided students to a clear, at least.
Ding.
Red letters appeared on the display screen.
[Tyrant’s Colosseum (A+)]
“Ugh, cough cough!”
Jin Myung-hun let out an involuntary cough.
“Wow.”
“Oohhh…….”
“Oh my.”
Sighs of dismay rippled through the audience.
The Tyrant’s Colosseum.
Though it was called A+, rumors circulated that it was essentially equivalent to S-rank—a dungeon notorious for its absurd difficulty.
Even the United States and China found this dungeon troublesome, yet it had to fall to Korea.
‘We’re done for. Completely done.’
Or were we?
Had it actually worked out well?
If we were going to fail anyway, at least failing in an impossibly difficult dungeon gave us an excuse.
A few audience members who had started to leave settled back into their seats.
Some pulled out their smartphones, as if hoping to capture the moment on film.
And then.
“Ahhh! What do we do!”
Next to Lee Se-ah, who was fussing dramatically, there sat a man with his arms folded, watching calmly.
‘This should be entertaining.’
He merely lifted the corner of his mouth in a slight smile.
A tense spectacle like this truly was the best seasoning for a drink.
* * *
The Korean students’ dungeon clear had begun.
At first, when the wave of demonic beasts poured forth, the spectators had sneered. But as one minute passed, then two, they gradually began to rise from their seats.
“Ohhh!”
“What? What is this?”
“Holy crap!”
They were astonished.
The Five Virtues showed solid foundational swordplay, the true path of the blade, and Do Jeong-hyeok fought like a wild beast unleashed.
“Wow, unexpected.”
“They’re actually holding out?”
“I thought it’d be over by now.”
“Even Jin’s holding up better than I expected?”
It wasn’t a clean operation like the United States or China, with their tactical maneuvers and seamless coordination.
Yet strangely, the hunt itself flowed like water.
Whenever someone exposed a gap, the person behind instinctively filled it and held the line.
But.
The Tyrant’s Colosseum was no easy Dungeon.
About ten minutes in.
“Ugh!”
“Damn.”
Im Jin-uk’s and Kim Chul-su’s Suits turned red as they received their death verdicts.
With fewer numbers, the fight grew increasingly brutal.
Yun Hyun-jong readily sacrificed himself to carve a path forward, and the remaining Students rushed ahead like wild beasts, breathing ragged and fierce.
Looking at their eyes alone, it seemed they were fighting for their lives in a real Dungeon where death hung in the balance—not in an Arc Field.
Had they been infected by that fighting spirit?
The spectators’ hearts had begun to burn hot as well.
“Go!”
“Korea’s better than I expected!”
“You’ve got this!”
“Hold on! Break through!”
More people were cheering them on.
Kang Hyun, watching the screen, let out a soft laugh and took a sip of cognac.
‘Of course they would.’
In fact, before they entered, Kang Hyun had made them a promise.
If they cleared this Dungeon, he would teach each team a Movement Technique Secret Manual suited to them.
Tactics? Strategy guides?
None of that was necessary.
They needed motivation.
A reason they absolutely had to clear it.
Kang Hyun was dangling a piece of dripping meat before starving beasts.
‘They were stubborn ones to begin with, but now their eyes must be completely wild.’
Kang Hyun raised his glass in the air with a satisfied expression.
‘Principal.’
I’d say I’ve done what needs doing here.
I’ve kept my promise to the Director not to cause trouble, and I’ve honored your request to guide the students from behind.
How much time had passed.
Boom!
Finally, at the center of the Colosseum, a massive silhouette emerged.
A wolf-form boss Demonic Beast known as the Tyrant.
Four Students remained.
Cha Yu-sik, Gwak Do-jin, Seo Hae-in, and Do Jeong-hyeok.
But these four had long since reached their limits.
Their Suits’ vitality gauges all hovered below 10%, flashing red warnings, and their stamina was nearly exhausted as they gasped for breath.
In the end.
Crack!
Do Jeong-hyeok’s fist, standing alone, shattered the Demonic Beast’s head and cleared the Dungeon.
Barely, at that.
[Tyrant’s Colosseum (A+ Rank)]
[South Korea]
[Boss Defeated. Clear!]
[42:05 seconds]
“Phew.”
His Suit’s vitality gauge, as he caught his breath, read only 3%.
‘If this were my real body, I’d just take hits and beat him down.’
Do Jeong-hyeok’s expression showed his displeasure.
It could have ended far more easily, but having to dodge and fight artificially had made it all the harder.
What could he do about it?
Once you’re in the Arc Field, you have to follow its rules.
As he dusted off his hands.
“Wow wow wow!”
“Korea’s insane! Korea’s absolutely insane!”
“Even if the time was a bit slower, personally this was the best performance of the entire exchange tournament!”
“South Korea’s come pretty far, hasn’t it?”
Cheers and standing applause erupted from the crowd.
Professor Jin Myung-hun, who had been holding his breath below the platform, threw aside all pretense and jumped to his feet in delight.
Since they’d cleared one of the notoriously difficult dungeons, he’d be receiving considerable praise as the supervising instructor.
“Phew, thank goodness. Really.”
Beside Lee Se-ah, who was catching her breath, Kang Hyun drank his whiskey without expression.
‘That’s right—who do you think taught you?’
Clearing it was inevitable.
But the way they’d barely scraped through didn’t sit well with him.
‘Train harder, all of you.’
Kang Hyun’s gaze turned sharp and cold.
Dying at this level of threat? That was unacceptable.
The Asura agents you’ll face down the road will be far more cunning and vicious than these creatures.
* * *
Now only the closing ceremony on Friday remained.
Kang Hyun had actually been cleared to return Thursday, and when he’d probed the idea, Lee Se-ah had thrown a fit.
“Are you serious? We absolutely have to see Ariana Ashford’s address! Non-negotiable, I mean it!”
“Fine.”
Truth be told, Kang Hyun needed Lee Se-ah for practical reasons too.
He’d bought an enormous amount of alcohol in Paris.
Getting it through customs required the help of Lee Se-ah, who had Management Authority credentials.
‘And I’m curious what level the world’s top five hunters are actually at.’
“Chick.”
“Yes?”
“What time is it now?”
“Five in the afternoon.”
“The kids must be hungry?”
“Probably. It’s Thursday evening anyway, and from what I gathered, they’re gathering to drink because they wrapped up the Arc Field nicely.”
“Is that so? They’ve worked hard—book us a table at the most expensive, best restaurant in Paris. After all they’ve put in, they deserve a drink on me.”
“Really? On your card?”
“I’ve got the Taejeong Mulsan Corporate Card.”
“Oh my goodness, yes! We’re eating too, right?”
“Just for the first round. And call Professor Jin—he’s earned it.”
“Perfect! Perfect! The kids are all nearby anyway, so I’ll be right back!”
Lee Se-ah dashed off in high spirits, and Kang Hyun found himself walking the street alone.
“Hey, you!”
With an urgent cry, someone came sprinting toward him at full speed.
A deeply pulled-down hoodie.
And a Gas Mask worn across the face.
‘Dang So-yu?’
Behind her, five or six Public Security agents were pursuing with menacing intent.
“Stop!”
“Seize her!”
Kang Hyun’s eyes narrowed with interest.
What in the world was this situation?
Had she simply fled on impulse?
For China, a walking Biochemical Weapon escaping custody would certainly have turned everything upside down.
‘She’s really caused quite the incident.’
Dang So-yu, breathing hard and gasping, blocked his path.
“Huff, huff! I need to talk to you!”
“And?”
“Please, get me away from here somehow!”
“Get you away how?”
“Just hide me somewhere those security agents can’t find me! You’ve got that kind of ability!”
There wasn’t a shred of doubt in her voice—only absolute certainty.
Kang Hyun found himself smiling at her sheer audacity.
Why did she seem so endearing?
Was it because she would become his future disciple?
‘Or maybe.’
Perhaps it was the venom coursing through his veins that he savored so deeply—or maybe it was the poison that glinted in those two eyes.
Either way, for Kang Hyun, this was a favorable turn of events.
The one he’d been seeking had walked straight into his hands.
“I see you’ve been watching closely.”
Whoosh.
Kang Hyun’s arm wrapped around Dang So-yu’s slender waist in one fluid motion.
“Hold your breath.”
“What?”
There was no time for explanation.
Snap!
Kang Hyun’s foot struck the ground with a light tap.
Boom!
With the sharp crack of the impact, Paris’s brilliant night sky smeared across Dang So-yu’s vision like watercolors, the world rushing away in an instant.
The velocity was absolutely staggering.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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