I Became the Leader of Academy City

0 – Becoming the Leader of the Academy City

‘I, I’ve been reincarnated.’

The realization struck me when I finally grew old enough to reason, cradled in the arms of a caregiving robot.

I discovered that I had been reborn into the open-world game set in Academy City, which I had enjoyed for quite some time.

After a long period of bewilderment, I accepted the reality and adjusted my way of thinking.

‘After all, I’ve been given a second chance at life… I should live it well and happily.’

This was the conclusion I had reached after years of contemplation.

Though a very simple conclusion, the process of deliberation had been incredibly lengthy.

‘To do that, I need to meet three conditions.’

These were essential for me to enjoy a happy life in this world.

‘First, secure a decent job.’

The prerequisites being good grades and a sparkling school record.

‘Second, eliminate the villains.’

The villains in the original storyline didn’t matter. I could leave them to the original protagonist.

The real issue was the event villains that threatened Academy City, operating independently from the original storyline.

The villains were entities intent on destroying the order of Academy City, or the city itself.

What happened in the game if the event villains were left alone?

They grew into an uncontrollable power that reigned supreme as the ultimate evil in Academy City.

The world outside Academy City was a post-apocalyptic wasteland teeming with monsters.

The only place I could lead a peaceful life was here.

So, I couldn’t afford to leave the villains alone.

‘Third, marry my childhood friend.’

My childhood friend.

The first lovely girl in this world who became my ally.

With her looks guaranteed to become beautiful in the future, and her intelligent mind, I pledged to make myself the man who was perfect for her.

‘Okay, perfect.’

With my knowledge of the game and my experiences in my past life, I should be able to meet these three conditions somehow.

This seemed worth a try.

However, things in the world never seemed to go as planned.

“Woojin, you so innocent. I wish you could stay like this forever.”

I had only been pretending to be as innocent as my age suggested.

My childhood friend left cryptic words and then suddenly vanished without a trace.

Where could she have gone? I searched high and low, combing through every corner in hopes of finding her.

But not only could I not figure out her whereabouts, I couldn’t even find a trace of her.

I belatedly accepted the fact that my only ally had disappeared. Only then did I realize my shoe soles were worn out as if I had been treading on nails.

As I returned home, my heart started to feel stifled and a deep sense of emptiness flooded in.

That feeling kept me imprisoned in my room for months.

Then, years later, a strange letter arrived at my house.

– To my friend, Woojin

It was a letter from my childhood friend.

In the letter, she mentioned she had been recognized as a heinous criminal.

In our town, the worst criminal was known as the ‘Quintet Criminal,’ but with her addition, it was now the ‘s*xtet.’

Thanks to her continuous acts of terror, she had amassed quite a reputation.

Only then did I realize who she was.

She was one of the worst villains in the game, ‘Kim Dalbi.’

The name she had given me was just an alias.

It seemed that Kim Dalbi had planned to become like this even before she became friends with me.

‘I can’t believe it…’

For several days, I found myself laughing bitterly.

– Hello, Woojin. Congratulations on passing entrance exams into high school!

I wanted to prepare lots of gifts for you, but since any gift could feel unsettling, I’ve just brought you flowers.

You will accept them… right?

Though I’ve become known as a piece of trash in this city…, remember that I’m always on your side. ^_^

So, I wish you would accept this.

I really, sincerely, congratulate you.

Then, have a great time at high school!

On the day that I passed the entrance exam for high school.

A purple peony flower and a note were left behind at my house.

It was a congratulations message from our well-known heinous criminal mastermind.

There was no malice.

Simply filled with gratitude, I placed the peonies into a bottle.

On that day, there was a remarkably tranquil sensation within my chest.

I felt assured that I could now eliminate one out of the three prerequisites to live a happy life.

Preserving fresh flowers seemed like it would be a doomed endeavor.

Eventually, I walked around with them as charmingly flat dried flowers, like talismans.

In an instant, I was a high school second year student.

On a Spring day, when the cold was all the more retreated.

Students, dressed in black uniforms, their left arms adorned with red armbands symbolizing the student council, are standing orderly.

I walked forward with a neat posture, stepped in front of the podium, gently bowed my head, and took off my formal cap.

Squeak.

A quick touch of the mic caused a feedback howl.

Only after drawing the students’ attention toward me, I started speaking into the mic.

“Greetings. I am second-year student Ahn Woo-jin, appointed as your 45th student council president this year.”

This appointment ceremony of the student council president. It was time for the incoming president to express their ambitions.

The red armband with the gold trim on my left arm is a symbol of the student council president, which I inherited here today from my predecessor.

I spoke with both politeness and a solemn voice.

“I won’t go on for too long. Within the jurisdiction of our school, inside and outside, the strictest sanctions and punishments will be imposed on all disturbances and illegal activities. There will be no compromise. As the student council president, I promise here to dedicate myself to maintain the peace of the school.”

The student council, the school’s strongest enforcement, will ‘professionally’ get rid of villains according to my orders from now on. This includes external jurisdictions.

As a result, my school record would glow with achievements.

I have finally seized the opportunity to satisfy the two conditions set for a happy life, creating synergy.

Of course, there was a high possibility of a confrontation with my childhood friend Kim Dal-bi.

But I have already made up my mind.

She is, if left alone, the worst villain that sticks like cancer to this school city.

There was no choice but to stop her.

“For our school, for our students, please fight with me. Thank you.”

Upon bowing my upper body in respect, several hundred members of student council sent applause my way.

Today, I became the student council president of the school city.