I Became a Troublemaker at the Academy

Rumble.

“This is the White Flower Guild’s second-tier storage. While it doesn’t hold items as valuable as those in the first-tier storage, everything here is at least seventh grade or higher.”

Kim Sunah explained as the security door to the second-tier storage opened.

Kim Baram glanced around the interior of the storage. Despite the term ‘storage,’ the place looked more like a modern museum — clean and organized.

As they stepped inside, the cadets began browsing the various items stored there, curious about what was available.

‘Hmm… I don’t even know what half of this stuff is.’

The storage was filled with a wide variety of items, including weapons, potions, artifacts, and skill books.

‘What I’m lacking the most is probably offensive power.’

With the Aegis shield, Kim Baram’s defense was already more than sufficient. However, he didn’t have any swordsmanship or offensive skills, so he decided that increasing his attack power was the main priority.

‘Sure, I have Black Fang, a seventh-grade weapon, but it feels like it’s not enough by itself.’

Kim Baram made up his mind to focus on finding an offensive skill or sword technique, so he headed toward the section where the skill books were displayed.

“You can each choose only one item from the storage. Don’t get greedy and try to take more, or you’ll be caught immediately. Got that, Kim Baram?”

“Why am I the only one you’re telling that to…?”

Ignoring his protest, Kim Sunah continued explaining to Ko Jooyeon and Han Suyeon, who were also browsing the items with interest. It was clear she still hadn’t gotten over the time Kim Baram had treated her like a scammer.

‘Petty woman.’

Of course, since she was an A-rank player, Kim Baram kept that thought to himself.

Anyway, he didn’t need to worry about Han Suyeon — she’d pick the right item on her own. 

Before choosing for himself, Kim Baram glanced over at Ko Jooyeon, who was showing interest in the section where various bows were stored.

‘Ah… That’s not where you should be looking at.’

The urge to intervene as a seven-year fan of the original novel kicked in. 

Seeing Ko Jooyeon inspecting the different bows and even picking some up, Kim Baram began pacing nervously around her.

“???”

Ko Jooyeon noticed Kim Baram’s odd behavior and looked at him with a question mark practically floating over her head. 

Kim Baram cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking.

“Ahem… Ahem. I was just wondering if anything caught your eye. There’s so much here – I don’t even know what to choose.”

“Bows, interested.”

Her short response made him suppress his frustration. 

The reason he was so worked up was that the bow she was currently using, the National Bow, was actually a far superior weapon, leagues above any of the bows here.

The problem was that Ko Jooyeon didn’t know that. In the novel, she had found that bow in her grandfather’s storage and thought of it as just an old relic.

According to the novel’s lore, Ko Jooyeon’s parents were regular office workers, and her family wasn’t wealthy enough to afford luxurious weapons. 

Wanting to avoid burdening her parents financially, she chose to use the old bow she found rather than purchasing an expensive new one.

‘In the original, why did she pick ‘that item’ instead of a bow? Was it because she was older then, and her mindset was different?’

Since the novel never showed Ko Jooyeon’s point of view, even as a reader, Kim Baram never knew what made her choose that particular item instead of a bow. 

He considered subtly using Han Suyeon to guide Ko Jooyeon toward making the right choice. 

But when he glanced over at Han Suyeon, she seemed completely absorbed in her own decision, holding two items and debating between them.

‘Why isn’t Han Suyeon paying attention to Ko Jooyeon? If Ko Jooyeon picks a bow by mistake, it’ll be a wasted opportunity.’

Just as Kim Baram was grappling with this dilemma, Ko Jooyeon’s next action provided an immediate answer.

Tap.

Ko Jooyeon, who had been handling various bows one by one, finally picked up the last bow in the row. After that, she lost interest in the bows altogether and began looking at other items.

“No bows that caught your eye?” 

Ko Jooyeon replied in a firm, confident voice, “My bow. Better.”

‘Ah! So that’s why Han Suyeon wasn’t paying attention to her. This is the advantage of someone who’s lived through a regression.’

While Kim Baram was busy admiring Han Suyeon’s foresight, Ko Jooyeon had already moved on. She was now examining a small item that she had slipped onto her thumb, looking at it with interest. 

Since there was only one item of that shape and function in the entire storage, he was certain it was the item she had chosen in the original novel.

A thumb ring.

Unlike a typical ring worn between lovers, this thumb ring was a tool used to assist archers by helping them pull the bowstring with their thumb. The one Ko Jooyeon was wearing was called Thunder Horn Finger.

In the novel’s lore, it was a fifth-grade artifact made from the horn of the A-rank monster known as the Thunder Deer, a lightning-shooting deer.

It really seemed that Ko Jooyeon had made up her mind, as she stopped looking around and came back to my side, still wearing the Thunder Horn Finger on her thumb.

Kim Sunah, who had been watching, approached and asked Ko Jooyeon, “Cadet Ko Jooyeon, have you decided on that item?”

Ko Jooyeon gave a small nod in response.

Kim Sunah then used the tablet she was holding to look up the details of the Thunder Horn Finger and began explaining its abilities to Ko Jooyeon.

“As an archer, Cadet Ko Jooyeon is probably more familiar with the utility of this artifact, but I’ll explain its name and abilities. The item is called Thunder Horn Finger, and it’s made from the horn of the A-rank monster Thunder Deer. It’s a fifth-grade artifact, though classified as on the lower end.”

As she scrolled down the information on the tablet, Kim Sunah noticed that the small Raikakji was a fifth-grade artifact and slightly furrowed her brow in what seemed like irritation.

‘Petty woman.’                      

“The reason it’s rated as fifth-grade is because it has three abilities. The first is [Stability], a passive ability that reduces strain on the body when shooting a bow. The second is [Creation], which allows the user to create magic arrows by expending a small amount of mana. With Raikakji, there’s no need to carry additional arrows.”

Those two abilities were already quite useful, but it was the last one that made Raikakji especially well-suited for Ko Jooyeon.

“And the last ability… you really made a great choice. The final ability is [Recharge]. Normally, Raikakji automatically recharges with lightning energy, allowing the user to create a powerful lightning-charged arrow once every ten minutes.”

Kim Sunah paused for a moment, swallowing as she prepared to deliver the most important detail.

“However, if a player with lightning-attribute mana uses Thunder Horn Finger, they can generate lightning-charged arrows infinitely. Additionally, there’s a hidden ability called [Overcharge], which allows the user to create an exceptionally powerful arrow with far greater destructive power once a day.”

Indeed, just as Kim Sunah explained, the Raikakji was an excellent artifact, especially for an archer with lightning-attribute mana, making it top-tier among fifth-grade artifacts.

‘Ko Jooyeon has already awakened her lightning mana much earlier than in the original story.’

This was a great advantage for me as well. With the Raikakji, Ko Jooyeon would grow stronger and undoubtedly play a major role in helping me prevent future crises.

As I watched her, satisfied and admiring the Raikakji on her thumb, Kim Sunah unexpectedly spoke to me.

“Kim Baram, aren’t you going to choose something? Hurry up. There’s a time limit.”

‘What? No one mentioned a time limit before! You petty woman.’

Startled by Kim Sunah’s words, Kim Baram quickly glanced around. Han Suyeon had already made her choice and was holding a small wooden box, looking in Kim Baram’s direction.

“The item Cadet Han Suyeon chose is called Immortal Elixir, a potion made by Joseon Undan. It’s a high-grade sixth-tier potion that boosts mana-related stats. Though the exact increase varies depending on the person.”

‘Han Suyeon knows her own growth better than anyone, so she probably made a good choice. The problem is me… What skill should I pick?’

Finally focusing on his own reward, Kim Baram headed toward the shelf filled with skill books. 

As he started pulling out the books and reading the titles, Kim Sunah, watching Kim Baram, gave him some advice.

“Just so you know, Kim Baram, don’t open any skill book unless you’re certain you want to learn it. Once opened, the skill is automatically acquired, whether you like it or not. If you’re curious about any skill, just tell me the title, and I’ll explain it to you.”

Despite her personal feelings toward Kim Baram, it seemed Kim Sunah was professional enough to offer helpful advice. However, since Kim Baram already knew this information, he continued skimming the titles without opening any books.

‘So far, none of the offensive skills are giving me a strong feeling… Hmm? What’s this…?’

While browsing, Kim Baram came across a skill book with a peculiar title and paused.

[Mush and Squeeze]

‘What the…?’

‘What kind of perverted name is this?’

The skill book’s strange, unsettling name made him frown, and without a second thought, he moved to put it back on the shelf.

But then, something unexpected happened.

Ding!

[Player ‘Kim Baram’s unique ability has been activated.] 

[You have learned the skill [?].] 

[You have acquired the rare skill [?]. You earned 1500 VP.]

The unexpected event was that he had accidentally acquired that weird, perverted-sounding skill.

‘What the hell?!’

‘I didn’t even open it!’

***

In the dead of night, under the moonlight, a man in his early forties, with short hair and an imposing build, sat atop a city wall.

“What are you doing here all alone, mister?”

The man, who had been staring blankly at a temple in the distance, turned his head at the sound of a clear, youthful voice from behind.

Turning around, he saw a young girl with dancing blue hair and eyes, exuding an air of mystery. 

She looked like a middle school student, with her hands clasped behind her back. Her face was both cute and bright, her blue eyes sparkling as she smiled.

“You’re… from the city…?”

“Yes, that’s right. My name is Lumina. It means ‘The One Who Shines Upon the World.’ By the way, aren’t you supposed to be the strongest in Korea? An SS-rank player, right?”

“Haha, yes, Lumina. Nice to meet you. I’m Ma Dongcheol. As for what you heard, I think one of 

my teammates might’ve exaggerated. I’m just an S-rank player. There’s no such thing as an SS-rank.”

“Hmmm… Is that so? How strange… Maybe not yet? But I saw you fighting today! You were amazing! Unlike us, you fought with your fists, like this, like this!”

Lumina, the young girl, mimicked Ma Dongcheol’s martial arts moves, punching the air 

awkwardly.

But as Ma Dongcheol watched her cheerful and energetic display, his expression only grew darker.

“I’m sorry, Lumina. I wanted to help free you too… but it seems it won’t be easy. We might end up stuck here as well…”

“Don’t get discouraged, mister! I believe in you! You’re my hope, so how can you be so down?”

“Haha… Sorry, sorry. But it’s not easy to defeat that thing. Magic doesn’t work on it at all.”

Ma Dongcheol pointed his finger to the massive golem standing guard in front of the temple, radiating an overwhelming presence, its appearance resembling that of a medieval knight.

The locals called it the Dispel Knight. As its name suggests, any magic-infused attack that touched its body would dissipate instantly. Not only did physical attacks fail, but the miracles the residents used, which they referred to as magic, had no effect either.

The only small mercy was that the Dispel Knight did not enter the city. It only attacked those who left the safety of the walls.

For about a month, Ma Dongcheol and his companions had tried numerous strategies to defeat it. But without the ability to use magic, they couldn’t break through its defense, and every attempt failed. 

With his superior physical stats, Ma Dongcheol had been the only one able to inflict even a small scratch on the Dispel Knight’s armor with his fists.

As time passed, they found themselves struggling. The food they had brought with them, as well as the city’s supplies, were nearly depleted. The group was nearing starvation.

To make matters worse, the dungeon they were trapped in was a ‘separated-type dungeon.’ 

While the entrance was in the middle of the city, the exit was believed to be in the temple guarded by the Dispel Knight.

Frustrated by the situation, Ma Dongcheol ran a hand over his face.

Watching him with a strangely thoughtful gaze, Lumina, the mysterious girl with blue hair and eyes, smiled brightly again and spoke.

“Mister, I have a dream. When you save us, I want to live in Korea, where you’re from. I want to meet the man I love there, have children, and… live happily. So please, don’t give up!”

Despite her cheerful tone, there was a hint of sadness in Lumina’s voice.

Still, Ma Dongcheol chuckled at the adorable girl’s words and, not wanting to disappoint her, exaggerated his response.

“Of course! This uncle will figure something out. Even if I have to fight with just my gums, I’ll keep going!”

“You’re so cool, mister! And, I was thinking… If magic doesn’t work on him, how about using magic to read his movements instead? I’m terrible at moving my body, so I wouldn’t be able to pull it off, but I bet you could!”

Lumina’s suggestion made Ma Dongcheol pause in thought. Then, as if an idea had occurred to him, he shot up to his feet. A flicker of hope reignited in his eyes.

“I won’t know until I try, but this might work. Lumina, you might have just given me a clue…”

As Ma Dongcheol stared at Lumina in disbelief, she tilted her head innocently and asked, “What’s the matter? Did you think of a good plan?”

“Ah… No, it’s nothing. But Lumina, you said you want to meet a guy in Korea?”

“Yes! In our world, there are only women, so when I get to Korea, I’m going to find my ‘fated man’!”

“Hmm… What about my son? He’s about your age…”

At Ma Dongcheol’s suggestion, Lumina scrunched her face in distaste.

“Ugh… No thanks. I bet your son is just as big and bulky as you are. I prefer the flower boy type.”

‘Where did she even hear the term “flower boy” when she lives in a world full of women…?’

Ma Dongcheol thought of his son, who looked just as bulky and muscular as he did. 

Unable to truthfully say his son was a ‘flower boy,’ Ma Dongcheol quietly closed his mouth, maintaining an awkward silence.