Chapter 41

00041 Make an Offer =========================================================================

As the training progressed into the 9th, 10th, and 11th weeks, it seemed that the users were gradually getting on track. Users who found it difficult to run for long distances in the first week were now seen running over twenty laps with ease and a smile. Seeing that not a single person had fallen behind and that all the training was being completed, I smiled contentedly.

The number of remaining participants was now over 80. It was unusual for the User Academy to have more than 80 graduates. As the final 13th week, the graduation season, approached, a peculiar atmosphere began to permeate the academy.

The first change was in the attitude of the instructors towards the new users. The instructors were not all members of the Golden Lion Clan; 70% were representatives from major city clans, and the remaining 30% were selected users from general and small city clans on assignment.

Initially, the instructors, who had been barking orders as if they were trying to kill someone, were becoming increasingly gentle. It was almost a common occurrence for them to secretly call one or two users out and treat them to a delicious meal. It was also not uncommon to see them making offers to users right after the training sessions. Of course, this only happened to users with a certain level of skill.

The new instructors assigned as life counselors were a sight to behold. In the male users' dormitories, beautiful female instructors were assigned, and in the female users' dormitories, handsome male instructors were assigned. Anyone with a discerning eye could immediately see the intent behind these personnel changes.

As the training period drew to a close, the users naturally spent more time together. Recently, Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, and Yoo Jeong would always talk about their future plans whenever they met, and it seemed like they were only looking to me for guidance.

"What do you plan to do, hyung?"

"Oppa, what about you? I bet you've received a lot of offers. Do you have any plans?"

"……."

While it was good that they wanted to follow me, I felt that this was not the right approach. At the very least, they should have their own thoughts and speak their minds, rather than blindly relying on me. With this intention, I tried to speak as tactfully as possible, and Yoo Jeong responded with a pout.

"Who said I haven't? I just want to hear your thoughts first."

"I'm still thinking. What if our thoughts differ?"

"So what? Of course, I'll follow you, oppa."

"Sure, sure. I trust hyung too. Hyung, fighting."

Ahn Hyun, who had been listening, nodded and chimed in. It seemed that these kids were treating me like a piece of cake. When I asked why, Ahn Sol replied with a smile, "If I just listen to Hyun oppa, I'll get a piece of cake even in my sleep."

I shook my head with a bitter smile. It seemed that the dedication shown during the rite of passage and the reputation of the User Academy had created a significant synergy effect among the kids. On one hand, I felt grateful for their trust, but I wanted to be cautious with my words. I would speak my mind before graduation, but I felt it was not the right time yet.

Kim Hanbyul was no longer showing her face. I heard that even when she and Yoo Jeong saw each other, they didn't speak and just passed by. She also seemed to be a target of interest for many clans, as she showed potential to rank among the top female users.

Users who showed promise were likely feeling proud as they weighed the offers from various clans. However, there were also many users who did not receive any offers. As the graduation season approached, these users became increasingly anxious.

There would be large clans to join, but even if not, there would be smaller or general city clans to consider. However, some users still harbored a desire to join large clans. I heard that some female users were even engaging in bold behavior. It seemed that they were getting closer to the instructors and using their bodies to entice them, showing just how intense the competition was.

Seeing the increasingly relaxed attitude of the users, I reminded them to focus on their training, as the User Academy's three-month period was not set in stone for no reason. The golden period for rapidly increasing abilities varies by user but generally falls between 90 to 100 days.

The kids grumbled, but when I mentioned that they might not be able to increase their abilities later even if they wanted to, they immediately shut up. I also redoubled my efforts in training to set an example. Before achieving the level of Sword Master, I had never missed a single day of training.

Time passed, and the graduation season was drawing near.

*

The training had moved into the 13th week, with only one day left until graduation. The users were gradually wrapping up their academy life. The instructors, who were strict during training, were more lenient during other times. During this period, users would perform personal maintenance or gather in small groups to chat.

That day also passed quickly, and before we knew it, it was already night. On the last night, users sharing the same dormitory had a simple gathering. The instructors turned a blind eye, telling them not to go overboard. This was not limited to my dormitory; the same was happening in other dormitories as well.

The gathering was not grand, consisting only of supplied dried meat and alcohol. Despite this, the users, who hadn't seen alcohol in a while, eagerly drank and chatted. Ahn Hyun and I nodded to each other and got up from our seats. At Yoo Jeong's suggestion, we planned to secretly leave the dormitory and have our own celebration.

Ahn Hyun and I successfully slipped out of the room. Everyone was already quite drunk, and they were shouting "We did it!" while patting each other on the back. In the midst of this chaos, sneaking out was as easy as eating cold porridge.

As I habitually searched my pockets, I realized I had forgotten my cigarettes. It seemed I had left them in the dormitory. I told Ahn Hyun to go to the meeting place first and turned back. Ahn Hyun asked why I couldn't just go without the cigarettes, but as a heavy smoker, I had a habit of smoking while drinking.

After sending Ahn Hyun ahead, I returned to the dormitory to retrieve my cigarettes and then headed out again. The meeting place was a corner of the Academic Information Hall. It was a bold move, but at this point, even if we were caught, it was unlikely to cause much trouble.

The night sky was dark, and I hurried across the empty field towards the visible building. As I passed by the restroom, I heard a strange, excited moan coming from inside. My sensitive hearing didn't miss it. Curiosity piqued, I carefully opened the tightly closed restroom door. Despite my best efforts, the door creaked, but before I could worry about the noise, a strange heat enveloped me from the opened door.

"Ah... ah... ah..."

The inside was a mess. The first thing I saw was scattered clothes and a user wearing an instructor's cap. Below him, a woman was lying and moaning. Her short black hair was spread out on the floor, and her smooth thighs were spread wide, kicking in the air. That face... I had seen it a couple of times before.

The man on top of her was definitely an instructor. Each time he thrust down with all his strength, the woman's body writhed like a fish, emitting uncontrollable cries.

"Be quiet! Your moans are too loud!"

"Ah...! Instructor, you're being too rough... ah... ah...!"

She moved her hips rhythmically with each thrust. The instructor, who had been relentlessly pounding, seemed to tire and stopped, thrusting once more before pausing. The woman, lying beneath him, clung to him tightly.

They savored the moment for a while. Then, the woman, with a blissful expression, opened her lips.

"Wasn't there a promise? You said you'd let me join your clan..."

"Don't worry. Wait for me after the graduation ceremony. I'll come for you."

They resumed their movements, and the room was filled with lewd cries. Understanding the situation from their conversation, I closed the door again. While such incidents couldn't be completely prevented, even in the strict northern continent, it was clear that some new female users were using their bodies as bait.

I decided to head to the information hall quickly and turned to leave. Then,

"Huh."

"......"

I involuntarily gasped. Hanbyul was standing behind me, staring at me. Despite being relaxed and not sensing her presence, I was surprised that I hadn't noticed her approach. I must have been too focused on the scene I had just witnessed. I quickly composed myself and spoke calmly.

"You scared me. How long have you been there?"

"I went to your dormitory to talk, but you weren't there. So, I followed you when I saw you leave."

"Did you see what was happening in the restroom...?"

The unspoken "Did you see it?" was understood. She blushed slightly and avoided my gaze, indicating that she had seen it from the beginning. I felt exposed, but since I hadn't done anything wrong, I decided to be bold and leave. It was best to give them their private time.

I quietly and slowly walked away, heading towards the Academic Information Hall. She followed me, matching my pace. We walked side by side under the cold moonlight. The awkwardness from earlier caused a moment of silence. Hanbyul broke the silence first.

"The female user you saw in there was probably Lee Jiyoung."

"Lee Jiyoung... I think I've seen her a couple of times."

"Didn't you know?"

Hanbyul's wide-eyed question made me tilt my head. Of course, I didn't know. She wasn't particularly skilled or close to me, so why would I know her? She had a pretty face, but compared to Yoo Jeong, Sol, and Hanbyul, she was just average. I replied matter-of-factly.

"I don't know. How would I know? I've never even spoken to her."

Hearing this, Hanbyul's face showed relief. I became increasingly curious about this user named Lee Jiyoung. Why was Hanbyul reacting this way to my not knowing her? Before I could think further, Hanbyul spoke.

"It's better that you don't know. She's not well-liked within the academy. As you saw, there were rumors about her. I never thought I'd actually see it. Why were you there, oppa?"

"I was going to have a gathering with the kids at the Academic Information Hall. On my way, I heard strange noises from the restroom and opened the door. Anyway, since we've met, do you want to come along?"

I wanted to say, "You're coming, right?" but our relationship had been distant, so I couldn't say it outright. She lowered her head and stared at the ground. I noticed her small ear peeking out from her black hair, finding it quite cute. After a moment of trivial thoughts, I saw her lips slowly part.

"I want to talk for a bit."

I nodded readily. I had forgotten that she had something to say. It felt like a long time since we had a conversation alone.

"The Golden Lion Clan has made an offer to me."

"......"

"Usually, they don't accept new users immediately, but this time they're increasing the number of recruits. They said they could provide a lot of help with my growth, especially since I'm a mage. And... if I join, they'll recommend me for a leadership position."

Hearing this, I let out a strong sigh. I had expected a direct approach, but the latter part of her statement surprised me. I didn't understand how they could provide help with my growth as a mage. More importantly, the offer of a leadership position was almost unbelievable. Even if Hanbyul had great potential, a leadership recommendation was an excessive condition for a new user.

Unless she had