The Spoon Villain Is Obsessed with the Hero Again Today

Back to School (3)

At the same moment, Kang Tae-hoon was just stepping out of an ice cream shop.

“Hey, Darkie. For a guy as big as you, all you’re getting is a single regular?”

“Oh.”

In the hands of Rashid, who was with him, was a cone ice cream. Seeing that hulking figure holding such a dainty cone made it look like he was clutching a Bugles snack.

“Hee hee. Love ice cream. Ice cream.”

On the other hand, Yoo Ji-woo was dancing around, clutching a massive tub of ice cream.

A half-gallon size, no less, paid for with Kang Tae-hoon’s card. Naturally, he was ecstatic since it was free.

“Getting all worked up over a little ice cream… huh?”

Suddenly, Kang Tae-hoon’s smartphone buzzed. A photo had arrived.

“Wow.”

Kang Tae-hoon was speechless as he looked at the picture. He immediately called out to Yoo Ji-woo, who was still hugging the ice cream tub.

“Hey, Shorty. I think you’re screwed.”

“Huh? Me? Why?”

“Here.”

Kang Tae-hoon held out his smartphone towards Yoo Ji-woo, showing him the photo that had just arrived.

“Isn’t this your lab? It’s completely trashed.”

“aaagh…! What is this…!”

The joy of receiving the ice cream was short-lived. Yoo Ji-woo’s face instantly contorted in horror.

“My lab…! What happened to it…!”

“How am I supposed to know?”

Unlike the wide-eyed and panicked Yoo Ji-woo, Kang Tae-hoon seemed unfazed.

This made Yoo Ji-woo grind his teeth.

“Eeiik…! My lab is in that state, and that’s your reaction…! How can you be so indifferent…!”

“It’s not exactly my lab, is it?”

“Hey…!”

Yoo Ji-woo yelled. Kang Tae-hoon covered his ears with both hands.

“You always call Shin Yoon-sung a psychopath…! But to me, you and Shin Yoon-sung are the same…!”

Next, Yoo Ji-woo shouted at Rashid, who was quietly licking his ice cream.

“And you too, Stoneface…! I hate you all so much…!”

With that final word, Yoo Ji-woo bolted towards the lab. The ice cream tub, of course, remained clutched firmly in her hand.

Watching her retreating back, Kang Tae-hoon tilted his head, puzzled.

“What’s got her in a twist? You’d think we’d trashed the lab or somethin’.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Being all prickly for no reason. That’s why you can’t with girls, y’know? Always gotta force the empathy.”

Whatever. She’d get over it in a day or two anyway. It always played out that way.

“What now?”

Another text from Kim Han-bit had popped up. No picture this time, just plain words.

Reading it, Kang Tae-hoon’s brow furrowed.

“Huh? Apparently, Shin Yoon-sung’s caught himself a fight?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Idiot. What’s he gone and done this time?”

He hadn’t even been back from deployment for a full day. And already he was stirring up trouble. Real class act.

The guy was an angel under Park Won-hyuk.

But, like, the leash comes off and he just flips?

“Looks like he’s about to get his ass handed to him on return day one.”

Kang Tae-hoon smirked, glancing in the direction of the outdoor training grounds.

“The other guy, that is.”

*

A male student, appearing in the laboratory without so much as a by-your-leave. Because of *this guy*, I was now trekking to the outdoor training grounds on a day like this.

I’d barely had a chance to cool off with the AC. Back outside again, I think I can feel the sweat dripping down my spine.

At least I hadn’t showered. If I’d already been through it, then even *I* might actually get mad.

Whatever it is, let’s wrap it up fast so I can head for the shower.

No wait. How about a bath?

Yeah, sprinkle some bath salts, lots of bubbles.

“Oh, this warm heat! Great weather to work out!”

The guy who dragged me out here, meanwhile, seemed to be welcoming the heat.

“Let’s start with some stretches! One! Two! Three! Four!”

On top of that, he was grabbing a bar and doing stretches, all by himself.

“Shin Yun-Seong! You want to join in? Gotta loosen up the body before we start, prevents injuries later!”

Was he here to fight me, or to swing a pickaxe?

I couldn’t fathom his intentions.

“One! Two! Three! Four!”

One thing was certain, he wasn’t playing with a full deck. He waltzes in, trashes the lab, and now wants to do calisthenics with me.

Suddenly, Yoo Ji-woo was the one I pitied. What would she say when she saw the state of the lab? An endless stream of complaints, no doubt.

I just hoped she wouldn’t direct them all at me.

Considering I was a victim too.

*Whoosh-*

The male student raised his arms high, spinning the bo staff. The wind it generated ruffled his crimson hair.

“I heard you took down an S-Rank monster during that dispatch?”

So, that must be why he sought me out.

Some nobody played a major role in defeating Basago, or so the story goes. Naturally, anyone would be curious about the guy.

It seemed this guy wanted to test my skills.

But, more importantly…

“Who are you?”

“Huh?”

“Your name. Tell me your name.”

“Ah.”

He hadn’t revealed his identity, the most crucial detail. At least I should know who I was going to be grappling with.

The male student pointed a thumb at himself.

“My name is Son Je-cheon! A man akin to the heavens, a man destined to devour the sky!”

“…”

Of all the people to run into, it had to be a lunatic. Why were all the people around me like this?

My life was truly a rough one.

—Hey! It’s Shin Yun-Seong! Looks like there’s gonna be a sparring match!

—Hold up! Gotta start an Insta live stream! The viewership’s gonna be insane!

One by one, people were gathering in the once-quiet outdoor training ground. Everyone came to watch the fight.

Some were even starting broadcasts. Eager to ride the coattails of my sudden fame.

“Fights always burn hotter when there’s a crowd!”

The male student… no, Son Jecheon, actually seemed pleased, waving to the onlookers.

He reminded me of some red-furred monkey demanding a banana.

“Let’s get this show on the road!”

This wasn’t some kind of professional wrestling match…

I couldn’t fathom what he was so cheerfully grinning about all by himself.

Was he just…lacking up top?

“No choice, I suppose.”

Let’s just wrap this up and head back. I, too, lifted my spoon. The small rice spoon swiftly grew to a weapon-like size.

Son Jecheon’s eyes gleamed at the sight.

“Ooh! That’s the legendary magic spoon I’ve only heard whispers of! It’s even more impressive up close! Can I touch it after we’re done?”

I never imagined someone would call a rice spoon “impressive.”

I couldn’t tell if he was trying to humor me, or if he was genuinely that pure of heart.

Or maybe just intensely curious?

Regardless.

The pre-semester, first evaluation match had begun.

Unofficial, mind you.

“Here I come!”

Son Jecheon made the first move. With nimble footwork, he instantly closed the distance.

He powerfully swung his staff.

*Clang—!*

A powerful wave erupted as our weapons collided. Son Jecheon’s face bloomed into a wide grin.

“Kya! My whole body is tingling!”

Just one exchange was enough to tell. We were both formidable opponents.

Like me, Son Jecheon wasn’t some nobody who’d just crawled out of the woodwork. He possessed a power that made you nod in grudging respect.

“Why didn’t I realize this sooner? Someone with this much skill would have caused quite a stir on campus.”

Rumors always circulated about me. About the dogshit psychopath Awakened who was always chasing after Arna.

But back then, my skills were so pathetic that I probably didn’t even register on Son Jecheon’s radar.

It seemed that Son Jecheon didn’t care about *who* you were, only the *skill* itself.

“Hup!”

Son Jecheon retracted his staff and leaped high into the air. He moved with remarkable lightness. He spun his body several times even while airborne.

The performance held the precise grace of a gymnast.

“Huh?”

Wait a moment.

That move… something about it feels familiar.

Not at all foreign. Incredibly intimate, really.

Where have I seen that before? On TV, perhaps? But the Olympics aren’t being held this year.

“Hmm…”

Nevermind. I’ll put it aside for now. It’s not vital information that needs immediate unraveling.

Focus on the fight.

“Euryat!”

Sun Jecheon, now standing a distance away, let out a shout, imbuing his staff with magical power.

“Let’s see if you can block this!”

Tadadak─!

He charged at me with steps even quicker than before, this time extending the staff in a thrusting motion.

“…!”

It was then. In an instant, the staff multiplied into three.

Not an illusion. There were truly three of them.

I abandoned the idea of parrying and quickly decided to evade.

Thwack─!

But it was already too late.

The tip of the staff struck my ribs.

“Kugh…!”

Luckily, it didn’t result in a fracture. Perhaps it was thanks to the body I’d been forging all this time? My muscles had absorbed the initial impact.

It’s a sudden moment of gratitude towards Park Wonhyuk.

“Heh heh. Surprised you, didn’t I?”

Sun Jecheon stopped his movement and opened his mouth. Normally, I’d be using this opening to press the advantage…

But Sun Jecheon simply paused there.

“Now it’s your turn to show me something.”

He was actually offering me a chance to attack. Sun Jecheon adopted a defensive stance, his eyes brimming with anticipation.

“….”

Just what *is* this guy? What’s his angle, wanting to go at it with me?

It’s less like he’s fighting all-out to bring me down, and more like a WWE match, trading techniques.

Never seen anything quite like him.

“Alright then…”

If that’s what he wants, guess I’ve gotta play along. Not like I have much choice.

I engaged Overclock, maximizing the spoon’s potential.

“oooh! Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes!”

Like he’s just crested the peak of a rollercoaster, Son Jecheon gritted his teeth, tensing his whole body.

He was going to take my attack head-on.

I swung the spoon without holding back.

*Kwang!*

Son Jecheon blocked my spoon, his staff leading the charge. Of course, being skilled as he is, one strike alone wasn’t going to take him down.

But this wasn’t the end of it. I was going to keep this momentum going.

Unleash the power I possess, to my heart’s content.

*Kwang!*

*Kwang!*

It’s different than before.

Completely different from last semester, you could say.

To be specific, back then, I always felt like I was being dragged along in the fight. My basic specs were just lacking. I was only focused on defense.

Never got a proper turn.

*Kwang!*

But look at this fight now.

I’m leading this battle.

Speed and power on my side, he’s the one getting dragged along now. Busy just blocking my attacks.

“…!”

His left flank opened up. After a relentless barrage, I managed to spot an opening. I could do things like this now, no problem.

“Hmph!”

In a split second, I twisted the spoon. Striking his hip on the opposite side, far from the staff’s reach.

*Kwaaang!*

“Kuh-erk…!”

Son Jecheon couldn’t keep up with my speed and ended up getting kicked by the spoon.

*Chwaaarrrr─!*

He lost his balance, tumbling across the dirt ground. Soon, he lay sprawled in the shape of a ‘大,’ staring at the sky.

He didn’t move further.

“Ah, ahahaha!”

Instead, he raised his voice, bursting into laughter.

What was so amusing?

“So, the rumors were true for a reason! There’s a reason you took down Basago!”

*Eutchya!* Jecheon bounced up from the ground with a light flick of his waist.

Then, he extended his staff out to me.

“How about we switch weapons for the second round?”

“….”

“Let me try that spoon of yours!”

This monkey b*stard. It wasn’t over?

This… feels like I’ve gotten tangled with someone seriously troublesome….

Is this how Arna felt?