The S-Rank Warden Devours the Academy - Chapter 28

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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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Chapter 28

After Sa Hyeon left, the Training Facility.
“Wow, I’ve never actually seen a Communication Stone before! Isn’t that supposed to be crazy expensive?”
Ryu A breathed out in admiration.
“Usually only Active Hunters use them inside Gates.”
As Mu Geon added to this, Eun O tilted his head curiously.
“Huh? Why’s that?”
“Regular phones don’t work well inside Gates.”
Jae Yun answered instead, his brow furrowing.
“But then why use a Communication Stone outside, specifically…?”
At his low, muttered wondering, Mu Geon spoke matter-of-factly.
“Communication Stones don’t leave any trace of the call. That’s why they’re mainly used for Dark Path dealings—Black Market Trading and other crimes. When security is everything, they’re invaluable.”
“Gulp.”
“Really?! So then he’s actually…!”
Jae Yun and Ryu A gasped in unison.
In that moment, it became an established fact: Sa Hyeon was tied to a Criminal Organization.
An intrigued smile played at Eun O’s lips.
“Then why don’t we eavesdrop a little on what they’re talking about?”
At this, Jae Yun clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Are you out of your mind? If we get caught, it’s game over for me.”
“Why not! You’ve got the Eavesdropping Skill, so just use it!”
“…Who told you I have it?”
“Come on, you’re curious too, aren’t you? You’re the one who stayed up all night at the library trying to dig up the teacher’s identity!”
……
…Well, he wasn’t wrong.
Jae Yun, left without a retort, pressed his lips shut.
“Me too! This sounds fun!”
Ryu A’s eyes sparkled as if she’d found an entertaining toy.
“I wonder where he got that from. I’d like to see it up close.”
Mu Geon murmured quietly, almost to himself.
…This senior’s a strange one—something’s clearly gotten under his skin.
Jae Yun hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“…Fine, but just for a bit. And if we get caught, I’m throwing all of you under the bus first.”
“Okay, perfect!”
Eun O grinned wickedly and immediately headed for the door Sa Hyeon had left through.
With him leading the way, all five of them filed out of the Training Facility.
In the distance, they could see Sa Hyeon’s back, his pace unhurried and easy.
Jae Yun surveyed the terrain around them, then placed his hand on the nearest pillar.

[Extended Reception (A-) Skill activated.]

In that moment, shadow tendrils erupted from his fingertips, crawling up the pillar like living things.
Jae Yun closed his eyes, concentrating on the faint vibrations in the air.
And then, finally, a small voice caught his ear.

—The Summoner’s location has been confirmed.

!
Jae Yun’s eyes flew open.
A Summoner? Was he talking about that blonde-haired Summoner they’d met at the Gate? They’d found her already?
“What is it? What’s he saying?”
Eun O, unable to contain his curiosity, asked.
Jae Yun signaled for quiet with a glance and followed Sa Hyeon’s trail, dampening his presence.
The others trailed behind him in a line.
‘What on earth is this man…?’
Even as Jae Yun broke into a cold sweat, Sa Hyeon suddenly came to a halt.
……!
Did he notice? The students quickly hid their bodies behind the pillars.
While they held their breath,
Sa Hyeon slipped the Communication Stone back into his pocket and opened his Inventory.
From it, he withdrew a Black Hat.
The moment he put on that hat,
“…Wait! His face changed?!”
Ryu A whispered softly, her voice barely audible.
“?!”
As he pressed the black hat down deep on his head,
not only did his sharp expression noticeably soften, but the entire aura he gave off transformed into that of a completely different person.
“Top-tier camouflage equipment…!”
Mu Geon, who recognized it immediately, let out a small exclamation.
“C-camouflage?!”
Jae Yun jumped in surprise, his mouth falling open.
“Huh….”
One thing’s for certain—our instructor isn’t someone who plays by the book.
Eun O exhaled a long, deflated sigh.
Sa Hyeon’s footsteps carried him forward once more, toward somewhere else.
Ryu A rolled her eyes and scratched her forehead.
“…Mm, I’m starting to get a little scared, you know?”
“Come on. This is where it gets fun! What are you talking about?”
Eun O’s lips curled into a grin, and he nodded eagerly.
“Should we tail him?”

* * *

The sky had turned golden, and deep shadows stretched between the alleys as evening fell.
Jae Yun forced himself to take a step forward, though his feet dragged with reluctance.
“…S-surely it’s fine…?”
Jae Yun murmured almost inaudibly, his expression miserable.
The Academy’s grand front entrance had long since fallen away behind him.
Now he had no idea where he even was.
Just then, Eun O’s voice resonated sharply in Jae Yun’s mind.

[It’s fine, I tell you! Keep going, keep going!]
[Agh, it’s cramped! Stop squirming, Eun O! One slip in concentration and the skill breaks! …And why did the seniors follow us anyway?!]
[I can’t let you have all the fun without me!]
[……Is there an Artifact trading deal happening here?]

Eun O’s skill, Shadow’s Hiding Place (A+).
The ones who had followed from school were now concealed within Jae Yun’s shadow.
Following Mu Geon’s reasoning that fewer people on a tail meant a better chance of success, Jae Yun—whose shadow happened to be the largest—had taken point.
Unable to see outside from within the shadow, Jae Yun had no choice but to diligently trail Sa Hyeon.

“Do we… really have to go through here?”
The scenery ahead was shifting dramatically with each step.
Jae Yun couldn’t help but halt repeatedly.

[Jae Yun, we’ve come this far already! And with four A-Rankers, what’s there to worry about? You can do this!]

Ryu A offered encouragement.
“That’s not it—it’s this place….”
It’s absolutely eerie!
There was a location like this near the Academy?
Ominously flickering broken streetlights crackled sporadically.
The air was thick with stale cigarette smoke mingled with the lingering traces of unknown magic.
Rough-looking individuals bearing savage scars across their bodies looked Jae Yun up and down as they passed.
‘H-how could the instructor….’
Meanwhile, Sa Hyeon traversed this lawless zone with the same ease as if he were simply walking to a convenience store near his home.

Stop frowning, Jae Yun! You look even scarier that way!

Eun O….
Jae Yun cast a glum look sideways at the shadow.

Be careful not to bump into anyone. Even a small collision and we’ll bounce right back out of here.

“Yes, yes.”
At the warning, Jae Yun nodded and resumed following Sa Hyeon.
And finally.
Sa Hyeon stepped into a shabby gray building with no sign outside.
The moment Jae Yun hesitantly followed him through the entrance.
“……!”
He could only freeze in place.
The vast hall was thick with strange smoke, packed with gaming tables and people, and crude profanities flying in all directions—everything felt foreign and wrong.
‘I. I really think I’ve walked into somewhere I shouldn’t have.’
Jae Yun swept his eyes across the interior, searching for an escape route in his unease.
At the edge of the hall, Sa Hyeon was heading toward a private room.
Jae Yun’s eyes followed him.
Then he spotted something and blinked rapidly, as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“…A really huge and intimidating-looking man is bowing to the teacher….”
Jae Yun’s whispered voice trembled.
“At a ninety-degree angle…?”
Sa Hyeon accepted the greeting naturally and stepped into the private room alongside the scowling man.

What?! He really must be a criminal organization boss!! I’m getting a dopamine rush!!
Woah!! Just like our teacher!!
Stop saying “just like”—that’s not even a comeback, Eun O!

“Um, what should we do?”
As Jae Yun whispered softly, Eun O responded as though it were obvious.

What should we do? We follow him in, of course~!

In there…? Jae Yun’s pupils quivered.
“There’s someone standing guard—I don’t think we can get in….”
His suit looked ready to burst from his muscular frame, and a long scar ran down his face.
The sentry guarding the private room where Sa Hyeon had entered.

What? Can’t you use the Eavesdropping Skill that Gyeol used earlier?
…You trusted me with this too, senior?

They’re training properly. Gyeol moistened his lips with a sigh.
But since we’ve come this far, we should at least try—and next time, I absolutely won’t get swept along by Eun O’s schemes.
Gyeol made that resolve and pressed his lips together firmly.

Then get as close as you can.

“Any closer from here?!”
Jae Yun mumbled like a ventriloquist, his cheeks trembling slightly.

Using two skills simultaneously puts the limit at this distance.

At Gyeol’s firm statement, Jae Yun held his breath.
Then, dragging feet that refused to move, he advanced one step at a time.

Hurry, hurry! We’ll miss all the good stuff!

Eun O urged him on.
Finally, Jae Yun had closed the gap until only three paces separated him from the scarred man guarding the room.

[That’s good.]

Gyeol said.
Thank goodness…! Jae Yun exhaled in relief and rose from his seat.
While waiting for Gyeol’s skill to activate, he tried to avert his gaze by pretending to examine the gaming tables nearby….
“Hey, you there.”
“…!”
Surely they weren’t calling him.
Jae Yun felt his heart plummet into his stomach, a sickening vertigo washing over him as he deliberately looked away, feigning ignorance.
“What are you doing skulking around here?”

[Jae Yun, I think they’re calling you.]

Eun O pointed it out helpfully.
Yeah, that’s what I thought too…!
Jae Yun stiffly turned his head.
“I’ve never seen your face before. Where’s your Hunter License?”
Two eyes fixed on him with laser precision.
This is bad. Really bad.
Jae Yun’s mind went completely white.

[Keep your voice down.]
[If you talk, you’ll give away that you’re an amateur right away. Just answer the way we tell you to.]

Gyeol’s voice came through steady and composed.
“What, you little bastard? I asked for your Hunter License!”
The longer Jae Yun remained silent, the more menacing the face before him became.
‘Just do what Gyeol says.’
Jae Yun repeated this to himself with grim resolve.
Then Eun O’s voice flooded his mind.

[What’s the difference if I talk?]
[You need to shut up—you’re making this worse.]

Gyeol’s voice.
Jae Yun echoed it immediately.
“You need to shut up—you’re making this worse.”

[?! Wait, no, Jae Yun! Not that!!]

Gyeol’s urgent correction came through.
‘Oh no, wasn’t that right?’
Jae Yun lowered his eyes, trying to hide his panic in the moment,
“…What did you say?”
The Guard’s eyes grew glacial.
Jae Yun knew instantly.
Now it was truly falling apart….

* * *

The Guard tensed, his body rigid with alarm.
This man—he was extraordinarily skilled.
Even standing nearly six feet three himself, the Guard wasn’t someone to be dismissed for his build.
Yet the man before him towered above his eye level.
And the way he looked down on his opponent only reinforced it.
‘With a build like that and such overwhelming presence… is he a Ranker?’
Or perhaps…
The Guard’s eyes narrowed.
‘Could he be an attacker sent after hearing that our boss got out of prison?!’
That would be a problem.
I’ve just been ordered to keep a close eye on the VVIP who visited—they said he’s an extremely dangerous individual.
“Move aside while I’m being nice about it.”
If you don’t cooperate, we go straight to all-out war.
…….
The man before the sentry didn’t budge at the declaration.
‘Can’t be helped.’
The sentry immediately signaled the store’s guards.
The moment the signal went out, two guards rushed forward.
Just as both of them seized the man’s arms firmly—
His shadow rippled violently.
And in that instant.
Crash—clang!
“Kyaaaah!”
“Ugh!”
“Ow, my stomach!”
“I’m dizzy….”
Four intruders burst out from within the shadow.
Furniture around them shattered and toppled.
The scene transformed into chaos in an instant.
Everyone in the gambling hall tensed, eyes fixed on them.
“Who the hell are you bastards!!”
“What’s your aim, sneaking in here!!”
A moment away from eruption.
The firmly shut Private Room door swung open.
“Take it easy, all of you.”
A voice rang out from behind the sentry.
It carried such overwhelming presence that even he found himself shrinking back.
The sentry slowly turned his head.
A man leaning against the doorframe at an angle.
Beneath his hat, ashen eyes fixed on the scattered intruders.
“Just stay put and wait quietly….”

* * *

Private Room.
Inside a space where illicit dealings normally took place, a decidedly incongruous scene now unfolded.
“Ah…. I knew this would happen.”
Jae Yun exhaled a long sigh.
“Still, at least it didn’t turn into a complete disaster right away. Right?”
“…th-that’s… a relief, isn’t it?”
“Ugh, to think our teacher would…!”
Watching the greenhorns gossip among themselves, Sa Hyeon pressed his brow and let out a breath.
He’d thought they were doing well at masking their presence and tailing him, but in the end they caused trouble.
They’d been following him like shadows from the start, so he’d let them come along for live practice, but clearly they still had a long way to go.
“Stand straight. If you drop anything, you’ll pay double for it.”
“Eek!”
Jae Yun sprang up like a coil, snapping to attention.
He stretched both arms forward, holding an invisible-chair stance.
The other four standing beside him were doing the same.
And balanced on their outstretched arms lay various Artifact Items.
“How much are they worth?”
Eun O asked innocently.
Min Yong stared at this bizarre scene in amazement.
‘He said to bring out just five artifacts, but I never imagined they’d be used for this.’
These weren’t the sort of artifacts meant to be used this way….
“Ahem. Well, I bought them at auction, so they’re not easy to replace, but… generally speaking, they’d run at least nine figures each, wouldn’t they?”
……!
“Insane.”
“Huh?! That much?!”
“Oh, wow.”
Except for Mu Geon, whose eyes glinted at the artifacts, the other students’ faces had grown taut with tension.
Their reaction made me feel a little smug, somehow.
Still, though….
“Sir, who are those kids?”
Min Yong couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked carefully.
They looked painfully green, at first glance.
Sa Hyeon answered without inflection.
“Students I’m training at the moment.”
With that response, Min Yong’s eyes shifted in an instant to pity.
‘Oh dear….’
Poor souls indeed.
What terrible crime could they have committed to fall into this man’s hands….
Min Yong swallowed a quiet sigh and bowed his head as though in silent prayer.

S-Rank Instructor Devours the Academy – Chapter 28

Author
Baek Luga
Publisher
Daon Creative
Planning / Editing / Production
Yun Tae-ri
Cover
Tompe

UCI
G720:N+A036-20260512043.0029

ⓒ2026, Baek Luga

※ This e-book is protected under the copyright laws of the Republic of Korea.
No part or all of this work may be reprocessed in any form without the permission of the author and publisher.

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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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