Chapter 52
At his words, I couldn’t help but tilt my head in confusion.
He wasn’t a possessor like me.
That meant the “preparations” he spoke of couldn’t possibly be about the event that would happen then...
In other words, he must’ve been talking about things to bring for the Field Trip.
“It’s not even a school excursion, why make such a big deal out of it? You just need your body and your card.”
[No, but it’s still a field trip. Like, a lunchbox. Or snacks to eat on the bus.]
“We’re not kids anymore.”
Wait—actually, was he still a kid?
Hearing the word “preparation” reminded me of something I’d forgotten.
Just in case, it was better to check.
“Hey, you still have that spear you got last time?”
[Out of nowhere? Yeah, I’ve been keeping it safe.]
“You know weapons are mandatory for the Field Trip, right? Bring that spear.”
“Why suddenly tell me to bring the spear? What for?”
His clueless response made me rub the back of my head.
Was that really a question that needed explaining?
Good thing I asked—if I hadn’t, it could’ve been disastrous.
“You got yourself a good, strong weapon just to display it? You got caught off guard by that Devil Knight last time and couldn’t even react.”
[Well, it’s not exactly mine, and it’s such a good weapon that... it feels wasteful to carry it around carelessly. Besides, it’s not like only cadets are going—our instructors are leading us. What could possibly go wrong?]
“You’ve still got a long way to go before becoming a Hero. Stop saying nonsense and make sure you bring it.”
I recalled the events that took place at the Beast Farm.
During the Field Trip to the Beast Farm, the beasts went berserk, the high-grade ones fighting in the Colosseum escaped, and countless casualties followed—a true hellscape.
One fortunate thing was that no Demon appeared directly in this event.
The cause of the beasts’ rampage was a Demon, but Pandemonium had thoroughly concealed this fact, aiming to undermine the Academy’s influence and weaken its power.
That’s why Park Siwoo absolutely had to carry that weapon this time.
That spear was an overwhelmingly powerful weapon—especially fatal against Demons.
If used properly, it could catch the Demon who caused the beast rampage and slipped away unnoticed.
“Make sure to bring it. I don’t want to see you flailing barehanded again while I’m knocked out.”
Park Siwoo spoke in an annoyed tone.
[You seriously have to phrase it like that every time... By the way, aren’t you just keeping your sword stored away too?]
“Of course, I’m bringing it.”
The sword he meant was the Barrier Sword I’d obtained in the Guardian Battle.
[You, a martial artist?]
“Did you forget that my original main weapon was a sword?”
[Yeah, but you don’t even use weapons now.]
“They said carrying one is mandatory. I’m not about to waste my strength outside the Academy, so I’ll at least bring it as decoration.”
Carrying a weapon was mandatory during outings.
After incidents like Seo Da-hee’s death and the Demon’s attack, the Academy had announced a new rule, acknowledging that even an immediate response could sometimes come too late.
It was yet another change brought about within the Academy.
[Okay, okay. I’ll bring the spear. But you—make sure to pack lunch! I even bought ingredients and made my lunchbox last night.]
“Why are you so obsessed with lunchboxes?”
That kind of thing was only meaningful when you had proper cooking facilities. Everyone was living in dorms—what kind of lunchbox nonsense was this?
But I didn’t bother saying that out loud. It would only drag out the conversation. I simply said “okay” and hung up.
The next day, I came out carrying the Guardian’s Sword and my lunchbox.
Following the familiar road toward the Academy, I saw cadets looking cheerful here and there.
The difference was that they weren’t wearing their uniforms today—they were in casual clothes.
Groups of students walked together, chatting as they headed for the Academy.
And the large buses parked near the lot made it clear: today was indeed the day of the Field Trip.
As I walked slowly toward the Academy, I sensed someone’s presence behind me.
Turning around, I saw Park Siwoo aiming for my back.
He quickly turned his raised hand into a casual wave.
“Yo, did you bring your lunchbox?”
“I did, but seriously—why did you make me bring one?”
“Pretty much everyone else brought theirs too! Come on, having a lunchbox during a Field Trip is common sense!”
He opened his cross bag and showed me what was inside.
It was filled with snacks—chips, candies, and all sorts of treats.
Seeing how excited he was made me feel oddly guilty.
After all, this Field Trip wasn’t going to be the fun kind he was expecting.
When we got to class, the early arrivals were already gathered in small groups, chatting animatedly.
Unlike usual, they wore heavy makeup and uniquely styled clothes—it was a sight to see.
But among them, one person stood out unmistakably—Helena.
A white t-shirt tucked into jeans—the very definition of “classic style”—and curves that carried it flawlessly.
Her silvery hair shimmered in the sunlight as it cascaded over her chest.
She’d let down her usual ponytail, and the loose hair gave her a cool, dignified presence.
Already famous as the top beauty among the freshmen, seeing her all dressed up now was practically blinding.
Of course, the reason I looked at her wasn’t her appearance.
Since I could never resolve the beast rampage alone, I desperately needed help from others.
Because of the monsters’ type advantages, this event required party play.
And the key members of that party were, of course, Park Siwoo and Helena.
Their roles differed, but both were indispensable.
In fact, for this particular event, Helena was even more important than Park Siwoo.
Then, our eyes met.
Helena frowned, as if irritated just to see me.
‘That insignificant pest?’
I hesitated, wondering if I should respond to her provocation—but before I could, our instructor entered.
Instructor Kang Jae-seok, after a quick head count, began speaking.
“You all look... quite splendid. I almost didn’t recognize my own class.”
The cadets laughed politely at his unfunny joke.
“Soon, we’ll be heading to the Field Trip site. But before that, I’ll go over some quick safety rules and etiquette.”
“Ughhh!”
The cadets groaned, but Instructor Kang Jae-seok ignored them and began his lecture on safety protocols.
“I know you’re not thrilled to hear this, but pay close attention. Since this Field Trip requires everyone to carry a weapon, it’s essential that you understand these rules.”
While he droned on about safety measures, I began scanning the other cadets.
I’d already memorized all these rules from countless playthroughs in the game.
If they asked me to lecture on them myself, I could’ve done it.
What mattered more right now was, as I said before—forming a party.
This was something I could never handle alone.
That’s why I needed comrades to fight alongside me—but just Park Siwoo and Helena wouldn’t be enough.
Among the freshmen, excluding those two, there was honestly only one other person worth considering.
My gaze turned toward that annoying long-haired guy.
A handsome man with sharp eyes, his shoulder-length hair tied halfway back.
Dan Chun-woo.
His strength, aside from mine, was undoubtedly the best among the freshmen.
In terms of overall combat power, he’d actually be more useful than Helena or Park Siwoo.
However, unlike those two, whether he’d even listen to me was another story altogether.
Helena, though snappy, still paid attention to what I said—but Dan Chun-woo didn’t even consider my words human speech.
Getting someone who looked down on others by default to cooperate and fight together...
Of course, it wasn’t as if I had no way to do that.
He did want something from me, after all.
That was a duel with Park Min-seo.
More precisely, he wanted to expose Park Min-seo’s true identity as a Demon—something no one had proven yet—to earn recognition from the Academy and force his family to acknowledge him.
I intended to use that to lure him in.
Before I knew it, the instructor’s dull lecture had ended.
We left the classroom and headed toward the parking lot where the buses were waiting.
As we walked, Helena noticed the sword hanging at my waist.
“You’re carrying a weapon?”
“They said it’s mandatory, so I brought one. Looks good on me, right?”
“If nothing else, it definitely looks... old.”
She wasn’t wrong.
The Guardian’s Sword hadn’t been properly maintained; rust covered several spots, and the blade had dulled.
Helena extended her hand, as if wanting to take a closer look.
Curious to see if she’d recognize it, I handed it to her.
After examining it closely, she finally spoke.
“Hm? I thought it was just a piece of junk, but its balance and weight distribution are surprisingly decent.”
“And?”
“And… rather than restoring it, you should probably just get a new one. It might’ve been a fine blade when first made, but now it’s nothing more than an old relic.”
I merely nodded.
She couldn’t recognize this sword’s true nature.
If she had Dragon Eyes, she might’ve seen it differently.
Still, I hadn’t expected her to recognize it anyway—that’s why I’d handed it over without worry.
If even someone like Helena couldn’t tell what it really was, there was no reason for suspicion.
As she returned the sword, she added,
“If you’re carrying it just for show, at least get something that looks impressive. That one looks like you yanked it off some statue.”
“Oh…”
Sharper than I expected.
Though she’d probably said it without thinking.
Just then, an unexpected voice came from behind me.
“Still as short-sighted as ever, Helena.”
That unexpected voice belonged to none other than Dan Chun-woo.
Before I noticed, he’d appeared behind me and brazenly snatched the sword from my hand.
Helena, looking incredulous, asked,
“Does your oh-so-superior eye see that sword differently?”
“Of course. This sword closely resembles the one wielded by Hero Baek Hyun-joong, who once surpassed even my grandfather and was hailed as the strongest of them all.”
“What did you just say?”
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
“That’s not what I meant. You’re saying this sword is Baek Hyun-joong’s White Wing Sword?”
White Wing—that was Baek Hyun-joong’s epithet.
Dan Chun-woo shook his head.
“Unlikely. It’s probably a replica. Still, judging by its state, it might very well be from the same era when he was active.”
I didn’t know the full backstory of this sword, but he wasn’t wrong.
This sword had belonged to Guardian, a fragment of Baek Hyun-joong himself, so calling it a replica of the original wasn’t far off.
Dan Chun-woo lifted the sword to eye level and studied it as though it were a piece of art.
His gaze traced every ripple and line on the blade, examining its balance before sliding down the grip and guard.
Hey, why are you smelling it now?
There was an unsettling level of obsession in his movements.
“The quality of this imitation is impressive. If it possesses any special ability similar to his, it could sell for quite a high price.”
Then, he looked straight at me.
“It could sell for quite a high price.”
He repeated the same words again.
What was that supposed to mean—
Wait.
“Are you thinking of selling it to me?”
I might not even need to dangle Park Min-seo’s duel as bait—could I actually lure Dan Chun-woo in this way?
Lucky me.
Dan Chun-woo—he was quite the sword fanatic and collector.