The S-Rank Warden Devours the Academy - Chapter 88

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

Chapter 88

“So you’re asking me to teach starting today?”
The next day, Yeom Sa-hyeon lay in a hammock suspended beneath the shade of a tree, regarding Lee I-su with languid eyes.
“Yes.”
I-su swallowed dryly and nodded.
“You said it would be possible in a day or two.”
Though her exact rank remained unclear, any professor commanding an entire class of A-rank students had to be at minimum A-rank herself.
The chance to learn directly from a rare Mental Awakening user—and a high-grade one at that—was an opportunity that would never come again.
“Since you’ll be returning to the Academy in about four days, there should be enough time.”
“Well, I suppose so….”
Sa-hyeon exhaled a long sigh as if put upon, yet he rose from the hammock with deliberate slowness.
‘If I suffer a bit now, it’ll pay dividends later as a useful asset.’
For the sake of future comfort, this much was worth enduring.
“Then shall we start now?”
“! That would be wonderful.”
I-su answered with barely contained delight.
Such swift efficiency—it was exactly what she’d hoped for.
Sa-hyeon cracked his neck side to side in a stretch, then reached into the empty air and opened his Inventory.
As he rummaged, I-su suddenly spoke, as if remembering something.
“Oh, and there’s something I need to tell you about the test on Friday.”
“What now?”
“I reported the Precognition I saw yesterday to Hunter Kim Do-gyeong as usual, and he told me to enter the Gate together with him during the Joint Exam,”
Sa-hyeon’s hands froze mid-search through the Inventory.
‘That prophecy he saw from Ha Jae-yun, then.’
Being dragged into it secondhand was certainly tiresome.
“Really?”
His sideways gaze held clear displeasure.
I-su shrugged and spoke.
“Usually I see the near future, but seeing a single scene from the distant future like yesterday is rare. I think Hunter Kim Do-gyeong wanted to observe the situation directly in the field, just in case.”
“What could possibly happen in a mere D-rank Gate….”
Sa-hyeon furrowed his brow irritably.
This test would involve Combat A Class, Martial Arts C Class, and himself and Jae-hyeok as guides for both groups.
Nine A-rank or higher combatants entering a low-grade Gate.
Any trouble that arose would only be more trouble.
From Sa-hyeon’s perspective, it simply meant one more student to shepherd.
I-su scratched her nose awkwardly and spoke.
“It’s an Anomalous Gate where the theme changes periodically with each reset, but I have considerable observation experience. I won’t be much help, but I shouldn’t cause problems either.”
“That’s a relief, then.”
Sa-hyeon raised an eyebrow and finally pulled an item from deep within his Inventory.
Shhk—
A Black Thorned Sword.
I-su’s eyes widened.
“…A weapon, suddenly? I thought you said we were doing Mental Awakening training.”
I-su, unable to comprehend, alternated her gaze between Sa-hyeon and the thorned blade, her expression growing strained.
“Even if you’re skilled, Professor, if you go unarmed against a real blade like that you’ll get hurt. Are you sure? Should I bring a wooden sword for practice?”
If Sa-hyeon were a Mental Awakening user like herself, physical weapons posed a serious threat.
Even a graze from the blade could result in serious injury.
Yet Sa-hyeon calmly drove the sword into the ground and spoke with complete ease.
“It doesn’t matter—I’ll be the one using it.”
“…I’m sorry?”
So… not her holding the sword, but the professor?
I-su blinked blankly, then scrunched her face in protest as if the very concept were absurd.
“Wait—if you take the sword, then what am I supposed to do?!”
“You’ll have to face me unarmed.”
“What??”
Her sense of logic was collapsing.
Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around?!
Lee I-su stepped back without quite realizing it, her voice uncertain.
“Isn’t that how it usually goes? The student brings a weapon, and the instructor takes it bare-handed while teaching?”
“Then where’s the sense of crisis?”
Yeom Sa-hyeon replied flatly, as though she’d asked something obvious.
“I… well…”
Before Lee I-su could gather her thoughts, Yeom Sa-hyeon drew the sword from where it had been planted in the ground and continued speaking.
“Your Precognition skill has one strength — it triggers by force in life-or-death moments. Your brain is wringing out superhuman senses just to survive. That’s all it is.”
Lee I-su nodded as if entranced.
“Yes… that’s right.”
“Train the same comfortable way as always, and you’ll never internalize Skill Control in actual combat.”
“But that’s—”
She had no counter to that.
Struck by the truth, Lee I-su fell silent.
She disliked how her Precognition flowed unbidden; that’s why she’d always avoided facing Monsters or other trainees directly.
Because facing someone inevitably meant tension was unavoidable.
So she’d preferred solo training.
As a result, her Skill application had remained clumsy.
“If you’re ready, we start now.”
Yeom Sa-hyeon swung the Black Thorned Sword in a wide arc.
Whoosh—
The blade cut through the air with a sharp, piercing whistle.
“From this point on, I’m going to keep throwing attacks that threaten your life. Squeeze every drop of your Precognitive power and dodge them.”
A languid smile touched the corner of Yeom Sa-hyeon’s mouth.
“If you want to live.”
“…!”
Lee I-su’s face drained of all color.
A chill crawled up her spine in an instant, making her limbs contract.
That face was smiling, but why did she see a villain of legendary cruelty staring back at her?
Without even using her Precognition, she could see her future clearly.
‘Damn it, I should’ve just done debuff training with the Academy students…!’
Her eyelids trembled as she swallowed hard.
Belated regret had come calling.

* * *

At last, the day of the Gate Exam arrived.
Before the Gate at the Jeju Research Complex, tension hung thick in the early morning air.
The bluish aura pouring from the Gate warped the surrounding air into shimmering waves.
Go Gyeol stared up at the towering Gate and murmured.
“…Wow, up close like this, it’s got some serious pressure, doesn’t it?”
“It’s huge… and we’re supposed to go in there.”
Ha Jae-yun wetted his lips and drew a deep breath.
As everyone gathered before the Gate, tension was written plainly on every face.
Only Tae Eun-o stood with his hands on his hips, calling out eagerly.
“Today we pass for sure! I’m finishing first!”
“Better set goals you can actually achieve.”
Tae Jun countered calmly, and Tae Eun-o bristled.
“Of course it’s possible! I didn’t settle things last time, so I’m going to decide it decisively here—you’ll see!”
“Ha! Now this is interesting.”
Hyung-won, whose face had grown stiff with tension, forced a smile.
“Don’t humor him, sir. It’s a bad habit.”
Jun-hyeon muttered nearby, hands shoved in his pockets.
This Joint Exam had brought together both Combat A Class and Martial Arts C Class.
The space before the Gate quickly grew crowded.
“Yeom Sa-hyeon!”
Yeom Sa-hyeon appeared at the agreed-upon time, no sooner, no later.
Hae-seong hurried over and bade him farewell with a grin.
“Then, as you said, I’ll wait out here.”
“Review yesterday’s training while you wait.”
“Yes, understood.”
Hae-seong, who had been nodding steadily, felt his gaze drift toward a figure stumbling toward him in the distance.
Head bowed low, dragging their feet like a zombie—that was how they approached.
He turned to the approaching figure with careful concern.
“You’re… Lee I-su, aren’t you?”
“……Yes?”
Lee I-su slowly lifted her head.
Dark circles shadowed her eyes, her cheeks had hollowed in just a few days, and her legs trembled visibly.
‘So she’s been undergoing special training with Yeom Sa-hyeon….’
Hae-seong, who understood that ordeal better than anyone, asked with voice heavy with sympathy.
“Are you all right?”
“……No, I’m not all right…….”
Lee I-su murmured weakly.
The past two days felt like hell itself.
Her impression of Yeom Sa-hyeon had transformed completely—from a mild-mannered instructor to a walking calamity.
Just last night, she’d woken screaming from a nightmare where Yeom Sa-hyeon was chasing her down with a sword.
‘What professor in the world charges at a student while radiating Killing Intent like that?’
Yet she had to admit—the results were undeniable.
What she’d achieved in those two days of being thrown around by Yeom Sa-hyeon far exceeded half a year of solitary training.
Maybe it was from dancing on the edge of death a hundred times over.
Her abilities had improved dramatically.
Now, even when Precognition triggered unexpectedly, she could maintain her composure without panic.
She could move her body along the optimal trajectory he’d taught her, deflect attacks fluidly, and even attempt weak counterattacks.
Though she’d never so much as grazed his collar.
“Without Precognition, my head would’ve been flying by now…….”
At Lee I-su’s distant, almost delirious murmur, Hae-seong’s eyes filled with compassion—he understood without being told.
“Will you be able to enter the Gate today?”
“What choice do I have? I’ll manage.”
Lee I-su was nodding as she let out a deep sigh.
Yoo Wol, who had been watching her with displeasure the whole time, threw out a careless remark.
“You should be grateful the Master trained you directly. Don’t complain when you’re blessed.”
“…….”
Had these Academy students had their brains pickled in inhuman training or something?
‘This instructor’s disciples are no ordinary bunch either…….’
Lee I-su gave up trying to respond and shook her head limply.

S-rank Instructor Devours the Academy — Chapter 88

Author
Baek Lu-ga
Publisher
Daon Creative
Planning / Editing / Production
Yun Tae-ri
Cover Design
Tonp

UCI
G720:N+A036-20260512043.0088

ⓒ2026, Baek Lu-ga

This e-book is protected under the copyright law of the Republic of Korea.
No part or whole of this work may be reproduced or processed in any form without permission from the author and publisher.

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