I Became the Leader of Academy City

11 – Code 7. The Leader Does Not Linger in Back Days

The biggest difference between the old human race and the new human race lies in their magic reactivity.

Even though most of the old human race woke up to their magic, they struggled to master even the basic level, but the new human race could control their magic as easily as breathing.

Magic is a mysterious energy floating in the body, making creatures even stronger.

This level of strength is expressed in ‘Nine Hierarchies’.

1st Tier.

Those who possess magic, but are not able to control its power. It is also an alias used to distinguish normal people. It doesn’t apply to the new human race.

2nd Tier.

Those who are able to enhance physical abilities by utilizing magic. Depending on their skill, they can survive even gunshots or anti-aircraft missiles. This is the starting point for the new human race.

3rd Tier.

Those who can transfer magic to objects with magic circuits, increasing the function or hardness of the object.

4th Tier.

Those who can convert magic into the power of one element. However, the enhancing effect of magic can be maintained. The transformable element is determined by the nature of magic.

Fifth Stratum.

It’s the realm where one awakens their ‘Inherent Ability.’ This refers to a unique power that only a single individual can wield. Those who reach the Fifth Stratum are treated as geniuses.

Sixth Stratum.

A realm where one can use both their Inherent Ability and the power of elements simultaneously. This requires exceptional mana manipulation skills since it demands the concurrent use of both abilities.

Seventh Stratum.

The realm where one’s Inherent Ability becomes so powerful that it can cause catastrophes. A person who reaches the Seventh Stratum will be known by name alone, a name that will make the world shudder in fear.

Eighth Stratum.

This is where one transforms heaven and earth.

Among humans, there was once an ‘Argonaut’ of the modern era who initiated the operation to subdue the Golden Fleece. They all perished in defeat to the Golden Fleece.

Ninth Stratum.

Denotes the realm exclusive to only one entity, the ‘Golden Fleece.’

The Golden Fleece is regarded as the pinnacle of magical power, and some even treat it as a deity. In the future, no one but the Golden Fleece will reach the Ninth Stratum.

The nine strata are grounded on concepts established from observed existences.

“So we’re ultimately in the Fourth Stratum?”

After viewing the sparring footage, several academies conducted an interim assessment of the lead disciplinary officer of Asung High.

“He seems strong in a one-on-one fight, but when it comes down to actual combat, I think he’d be weaker than us. After all, it’s just the Fourth Stratum.”

“How can you judge based on just a brief sparring match? But, it does look like there’s undeniable strength.”

“He’s quite skilled but… I still can’t be sure.”

Although they recognized An Woojin’s combat abilities, they still harbored doubts about whether he was suitable as a person who had surpassed the ‘Five Hundred Scripts’ to become the lead disciplinary officer.

However, the exact level of Woojin’s unrevealed ‘full strength’ remained elusive.

They remained wary of Woojin.

Meanwhile,

“The lead disciplinary officer of Asung High is in the Fourth Stratum…”

The lead disciplinary officer of MaHyeon High School, Lee Je-ho, murmured as he pushed up his glasses.

His vice-officer, also adorned with glasses, stroked his chin in response.

“He seems too strong for the Fourth Stratum.”

“Vice-officer, this isn’t a level where one’s strength can be gauged on the mere fact of being in the Fourth Stratum.”

“Really?”

Je-ho was still steeped in astonishment.

His ability to minutely control mana was indeed inferior to that of his own.

The combat style was dazzlingly brilliant, as if he were a hound from the Federation Council who performed black ops within the academy city, or something of an agent caliber.

“Well…, that makes sense. I’ve never seen anyone quite this capable in individual combat. It’s surprising that such a person is still in the fourth stratum.”

“Perhaps.”

Je-Ho leaned back on his chair, sipping the hot espresso.

“Having hit the wall of talent early on and remained in the fourth stratum, he might have achieved a lot.”

“Is that possible? For the wall of talent to be that high?”

“It is.”

Je-Ho reclined in his chair.

“If the conditions for acquiring a unique ability are incredibly stringent. That is, if the potential is insanely high….”

Should Woo-Jin finally surpass the wall of the fifth stratum.

He might become a monster that even the word ‘genius’ fails to describe.

“I don’t know about now, but he’s definitely not someone to be underestimated.”

Je-Ho also considered An Woo-Jin’s potential.

Maybe, Je-Ho thought, Ahseong High’s decision to appoint An Woo-Jin to the position of disciplinary chair instead of someone from the Obaek clan had been appropriate after all.

“Hmm… So, you’re saying you see him in a positive light. That’s a relief.”

“What?”

All of a sudden, the vice chair passed a document to Je-Ho.

“Vice-chair, what’s this?”

“It’s about an exchange event with the Ahseong High School disciplinary committee.”

“?”

Je-Ho looked at the vice-chair with confusion written all over his face. There was a trace of consternation in his eyes.

“As you know, there’s been friction between the disciplinary committees of Mahyeon High and Ahseong High. The idea is to start building camaraderie from this year on. It’s all about ‘hooray for peace,’ Peace.”

“What the…! Do you really think I’d approve something like this, Vice-chair!?”

“The matter was prepared under the student council president’s orders. Who knows, if you handle this well, the president might… favor you.”

Swish!

Without hesitation, Je-Ho signed the approval section.

The vice-chair smoothly retrieved the document.

“Yes, it’s been approved.”

“Argh… Listen well, Vice-chair. I signed it only because it’s the student council president’s wish… But make no mistake, even if Neo Seoul falls, I will never, ever be friends with those bastards from the Ahseong High disciplinary committee…!”

Je-Ho’s face had turned a mottled red before he knew it.

His hand, clenched tightly around his pen, trembled with resolution.

“Yes, I understand.”

The Vice President nodded calmly.

The current student body president of Maeyeon High School was Jiho’s older sister.

He admired his sister and sought her approval.

…This is a mild way of putting it.

Jiho was a sitcom-grade “sister complex”. When his sister asked, he couldn’t refuse and spent every day daydreaming at her pictures.

“Then, I will submit this authorization document to the student council. Since this is the order of the student body president, the authorization will end quickly, so I suppose I should contact Asung High in advance.”

“Ugh….”

Jiho’s body shivered.

* * *

“Boss, the views are amazing!”

April 14th, in the Morality Committee office.

Ha Ye-song raised her smartphone and shouted with a bright face.

“The boss is really money-making isn’t he?”

“Isn’t that a weird expression?”

“It’s my way of praising. Not everyone is money, right? Unless you’re selling organs.”

An inappropriate expression.

“Ha Ye-song, as an executive of the Morality Committee, you should refrain from such immoral expressions.”

“hehehe, sorry.”

“Well… there’s nothing to be joyful about. Anyway, the revenue generated from that video will all go to the student council.”

“Still, if you’re going to suck it up, isn’t it better to suck it up as much as possible?”

“Isn’t that totally a mindset of a vicious loan shark…?”

The expression bloodsucker might be applicable too.

“Anyway, it’s doubtful whether it can be confiscated at this point.”

“Right?”

The revenue generated from the duel video with Sindorim Swordmaster was agreed to be confiscated by the Morality Committee.

It was considered an illegal act leading to unjust enrichment.

So, Shinso ended up having to hand over the revenue generated from the duel video to us every month.

The deadline was ‘until graduation’.

In the end, Shinso filed a constitutional complaint with the Judicial Academy regarding the regulation in question.

Perhaps it was because he’d already cast aside something like pride, but his decisiveness was impressive.

Eventually, the confiscation of profits was suspended until the constitutionality could be determined.

If the law was deemed constitutional, Shinso would have to cough up all the profits he hadn’t paid so far.

If it was struck down as unconstitutional, the rule would disappear, but I didn’t care.

After all, the confiscated money would go to the student council; what desire could I have for it? Only Shinso would be burdened with proving its unconstitutionality.

Ding.

“Huh?”

The text notification sounded from the pocket of Yesong’s school uniform.

She immediately checked her smartphone.

“Chief, I’m going to have jajangmyeon with the Gourmet Club.”

The Gourmet Club was a club dedicated to exploring good eats, and it was another group Yesong belonged to besides the Guidance Committee.

“Jajangmyeon?”

“It’s essential we eat jajangmyeon today. It’s a critical matter!”

“?

‘It’s not ‘I want to eat it,’ but ‘I have to eat it?’

Ah, maybe it’s just a different way of saying she wants it?

“Chief, enjoy your meal too!”

Yesong left the office with cheerful steps.

‘Jajangmyeon, huh… now that I hear it, I’m craving it.’

Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I had jajangmyeon.

Maybe I’ll have it for lunch today.

I took out my smartphone to order jajangmyeon through a delivery app.

Then, vrrr, the smartphone vibrated, receiving a message through Coconut Talk.

It was a message from Vice Chief Oh Baek-seo.

[Oh Baek-seo: Chief]

[Oh Baek-seo: Have you had lunch?]

Baek-seo’s profile picture on Coconut Talk showed her from behind, dressed in a hanbok in a flower garden.

Even through Coconut Talk, her sophistication was palpable.

[Ahn Woo-jin: I’m about to order now]

[An Woo-jin: You?]

[Oh Baek-seo: Me too, still]

[An Woo-jin: Let’s eat together]

[Oh Baek-seo: Okay]

[Oh Baek-seo: Sounds good hahahaha]

[Oh Baek-seo: (laughing cat emoticon)]

[An Woo-jin: Come to the breakroom]

[An Woo-jin: Jjajangmyeon?]

[Oh Baek-seo: ?]

Why the question mark?

[Oh Baek-seo: For real?]

What’s ‘for real’?

[Oh Baek-seo: I like it]

Just an exclamation, I suppose.

[An Woo-jin: Jja? Jjam?]

[Oh Baek-seo: Jjajangmyeon it is]

[An Woo-jin: (Dog emoticon sending an OK sign)]

[Oh Baek-seo: I’ll be there soon hahahaha]

I ordered two bowls of jjajangmyeon and a tangsuyuk set on a delivery app.

Soon after, Baek-seo arrived in the breakroom and the jjajangmyeon set arrived ten minutes later.

I set up the food on the table and sat down on the sofa with Baek-seo.

‘Wow, the smell is incredible.’

The smell of jjajangmyeon, which I hadn’t had in a while, was very stimulating.

I could feel my mouth watering.

“You ordered tangsuyuk?”

“Do you dislike tangsuyuk?”

“Not at all. I like it.”

Baek-seo shook his head and flashed his usual thoughtful smile.

I took some wooden chopsticks and rubbed them together to generate heat. With a little force, snap, the wooden chopsticks broke exactly in the middle.

…Wait a moment.

‘Oops.’

Had the act of heating the wooden chopsticks through palm friction been undignified?

No, this was within acceptable bounds.

Indeed, the purpose was to neatly split the wooden chopsticks in half using scientific principles. It was logically a reasonable action, without a doubt.

‘Even when eating jajangmyeon, one must be dignified.’

That was the attitude you should maintain as a student leader.

It was fortunate to have a sense of caution even now.

Because he had almost shaken the packaged jajangmyeon bowl as is. That action lacked dignity.

At least it wasn’t something to be shown in front of the vice-president.

After tearing the plastic wrap of the jajangmyeon, he mixed the noodles and sauce with the wooden chopsticks.

Matching the sticky sound, the white noodles gradually turned the color of the dark sauce.

‘Yes, that’s more like it.’

Something as trivial as jajangmyeon could not damage my dignity, even if it was slight.

At last, he took a chopstick-full of jajangmyeon and put it into his mouth. Slurp. The appropriate salty and sweet taste exploded in a rich burst of flavor.

‘This is excellent.’

Just when he was continuously slurping the jajangmyeon strands with satisfaction.

“President.”

“What?”

“Why suddenly jajangmyeon? And with me?”

Baek Seo asked with a smiling face.

He didn’t understand the intention behind the question.

“I wanted to eat it. And if I’m eating, isn’t it better to eat together?”

“Is it….?”

Baek Seo ate a few strands of jajangmyeon while putting her hair behind her ear. A mysterious smile hung on the corner of her mouth.

‘What’s going on?’

Something….

Something felt off.

Suddenly, he remembered Ye Song screaming that he should eat jajangmyeon today.

Baek Seo also looked like she knew something.

There were no significant memories related to jajangmyeon in the student council.

What if?

I took out my smartphone and connected to the internet.

Typing in ‘black bean noodles,’ my eyes caught a piece of information I had never paid attention to before.

April 14th.

Black Day.

It’s the day when men and women who didn’t exchange chocolates or candies on Valentine’s Day or White Day gather to share black bean noodles.

One must dress in black, from clothes to accessories, and even drink black coffee at cafes.

A day for singles to find solace in one another, and perhaps, to become a couple.

“Ah.”

I finally understood the reason behind Yesong’s words, and Baekseo’s response.

It was April 14th, Black Day, today of all days.

And how curious it was that today, after such a long time, I had ordered black bean noodles and with Baekseo, no less.

Perhaps Baekseo had misinterpreted my invitation to share black bean noodles.

[ A day to possibly become a couple. ]

That particular line kept bothering me.

‘Do I need to clarify things…?’

Should I explain that I didn’t mean anything special by asking to share black bean noodles?

No, that was lacking in dignity.

That would seem desperate. And pathetic.

“Hmm…”

Lost in these thoughts, I had forgotten I was eating the black bean noodles.

“Chief.”

“Yes?”

“The black bean noodles are delicious.”

Baekseo said with a smile.

“Shall we make this our regular spot?”

“…….”

Unexpectedly, seeing Baekseo’s calm smile, my mind cleared in an instant.

‘What does it matter if it’s Black Day or not?’

Baek Seo must have known that today was Black Day.

Ordinarily, Baek Seo would not miss an opportunity to play a prank on me.

How could one not take advantage of the amusing situation of inviting someone to eat jajangmyeon with him on Black Day?

Yet, Baek Seo didn’t throw any jokes my way.

Clearly, he was not preoccupied with Black Day.

‘After all, it would be childish and undignified to fuss over such things. Baek Seo must know this well.’

Any overly eager clarification on my part would only tarnish my dignity.

I didn’t even want to in the first place.

It was nothing but unnecessary worry.

“It doesn’t matter.”

I responded with a smile curled at the corners of my mouth.

Then, as I casually continued eating my jajangmyeon.

Baek Seo quietly chewed on his pickled radish and said,

“Boss, you’re not going to eat jajangmyeon anymore today, are you?”

“I suppose not.”

“Then, that’s settled.”

?

Slurp. Baek Seo finished up the remaining jajangmyeon.