Words began to appear in the darkness, one after another. Sothing about the DLC update... hero selection, character sync... and finally,
< A new ga is starting. >
The screen went black.
When I ca to, soone was shaking —very gently, as if afraid I might break.
“Professor.”
My vision was blurry.
My head felt like it was stuffed with wet cotton.
“Please wake up, Professor.”
...Professor?
The foggy world gradually ca into focus.
I was sitting in the back of an incredibly ornate, vintage-style car.
The door was open.
A woman in a spotless, formal uniform tilted her head, looking at curiously.
“...Where... am I?”
“My, Professor... You’re quite the joker. It’s your first class today, rember?”
“First class?”
“Yes, yes. Are you feeling unwell? I’ve been trying to wake you for a while now, but you wouldn’t budge.”
What the hell is she talking about?
Outside the window, I saw sothing bizarre—
The scenery looked exactly like Hiaca Academy brought to life.
That striking white-and-blue aesthetic. The beautiful academy gleaming under the sky.
Students in crisp white uniforms, each with assassin harnesses strapped over their chests, wandered about in cheerful groups, laughing without a care.
“The weather’s just lovely today, isn’t it?”
“...Sure. I suppose it is.”
I was still lost in confusion—when sothing strange entered my field of view.
The bottom of my vision.
The dialogue between the woman and was popping up like a script.
【 Adele, TA of the Departnt of Assassination: “The weather’s just lovely today, isn’t it?” 】
【 Dante, Neutral Professor: “...Sure. I suppose it is.” 】
The student uniforms—exactly as I rembered.
Adele, the Departnt of Assassination’s teaching assistant.
Dante, a Neutral-aligned professor.
And the ga’s dialogue window.
None of it felt out of place.
As if this had always been the world I belonged to.
‘Holy shit...’
After thinking it over a bit more, I was sure of it.
For so reason—sohow—I’d ended up inside the ga.
Right into Hiaca Academy.
The Departnt of Assassination...
where you graduate by killing your professor.
And I had entered...
as a professor.
****
Hiaka Academy was an elite royal institution designed to train exceptional combatants.
Students in the Warrior Departnt or Mage Departnt could enjoy a bright, lively, and happy school life.
But the Assassin Departnt was different.
In the Assassin Departnt, cadets have to kill their professor to graduate...
To be precise, they could only receive their diploma after four years of training and killing their professor.
Those who failed were expelled, leaving them without a diploma or qualifications.
And despite being a professor, my current stats were pathetic.
All my attributes were at 1. No training, no combat skills whatsoever.
Maybe that’s why my whole body felt weak, my mind sluggish.
And to make matters worse, my first class was about to start.
...Once I enter my classroom, the assassination attempts will begin. Are you seriously expecting to survive with this crappy build while pretending to be a professor?
This was ridiculous. So this was why Hell Mode existed.
If I stepped into that classroom unprepared, I’d die imdiately.
I need sothing—anything—that could help survive. Tools, weapons, whatever I can get my hands on.
Just then...
【 Teaching Assistant Adele: Why is the professor acting like this? Should I take him to the hospital? 】
The text box showed sothing in italics instead of double quotes (“”). That had to an it was displaying her internal thoughts, not just her dialogue.
Wait a second...
I turned to Adele.
“...No need to worry. I’m fine.”
“Oh, okay.” Adele smiled warmly, her expression gentle.
【 Teaching Assistant Adele: Ah, whatever. Let’s not worry too much. This professor will die soon anyway... 】
Did she really just think...? With such a gentle smile, too? Just how many professors had already died?!
Adele’s subsequent thoughts popped up in the text box as if answering my unspoken question.
【 Teaching Assistant Adele: Hmm... Professor Harun lasted three months, and Professor Rucandel only lasted ten days, right? 】
Three months? Ten days?! Those aren’t professors—they’re glorified practice dummies for murder training!
Of course, it was normal for professors to be assassinated in this world from ti to ti. But this frequency...? It was way too high. It had to be because we were in Hell Mode. The cadets were far stronger now.
Just then, Adele grinned brightly.
【 Teaching Assistant Adele: Still, I hope this professor lasts a little longer. He’s pretty handso. 】
That wasn’t comforting at all.
I took a mont to think.
The tradition of assassinating one’s professor in the Assassin Departnt was deeply ingrained in this world. Yet despite the extre risks of the job, people still kept applying. The reason?
Money.
The royal family provided professors with enormous salaries and research grants.
...And I’ve already signed the contract.
I couldn’t just quit and run away.
In this world, assassins were similar to real-world intelligence agents—experts in assassination, espionage, and counterintelligence. Our location was also an issue. We were currently in Zone 0, a restricted area. If I tried to escape, I’d be obstructed by security fences and barriers.
On top of that, Adele wasn’t just a teaching assistant. She was also assigned to monitor .
Driving away? Not an option.
“I have so matters to attend to, so I’ll see you later in the office.”
“Got it.”
“Then, stay safe, Professor.”
With those foreboding words of care, Adele got back in the car and drove off.
I started walking toward the Assassin Building.
First off, I needed information.
I opened my briefcase and flipped through Dante’s class materials. Since it was the first lesson, the content wasn’t too difficult. In fact, as soone who has always loved assassins, I already knew most of the content.
Wait a second.
A familiar piece of paper caught my eye.
_________________
▶ Assassin Departnt Rules
1. mbers of the Assassin Departnt may kill each other. It is tolerated as long as they don’t get caught.
2. Students who successfully assassinate their professor will receive their diploma, 15 million hika, and all of the professor’s possessions after completing their education.
3. Assassination attempts outside of class hours will be penalized. Professors have the authority to impose penalty points and permanently confiscate equipnt. Three penalty points result in expulsion.
_________________
The third rule stood out to .
I was already familiar with the first two, but the third? That was new.
Students will face serious penalties if they try to assassinate outside of class?
That was... sowhat reassuring. At the very least, I wouldn’t have to fear for my life every waking mont.
Just as I was starting to relax—
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year Dominic: “Is that him?” 】
A dialogue box suddenly appeared.
Who is that?
I was the only one on this narrow path through the thicket.
For now, I didn’t react. I kept walking as if nothing was wrong, making sure not to alert whoever was watching .
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Hwaru: “Whoa, he’s handso.” 】
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: “What’s so handso about him?” 】
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Dominic: “No, no, he’s got a point. He’s tall, sharp-featured, and has that dangerous look. Looks like they brought in soone different this ti because the last professors kept dying so quickly.” 】
There were at least three people, but I couldn’t spot a single one.
Judging by ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) their comnts about my appearance, they had to be sowhere in front of .
Just where were they talking from?
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: “...Should we just kill him now?” 】
What the hell?! In broad daylight?!
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Hwaru: “What? No way.” 】
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Dominic: “Forte, don’t forget that assassinations outside class will get you penalized.” 】
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: “I don’t care about re penalties.” 】
They’re still willing to risk it?!
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: “It’s fine as long as I don’t get caught.” 】
I felt conflicted because, technically, Forte was correct. That was the first rule of the departnt.
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Dominic: “Fine. If you’re going to do it, show us how well a Moon Shadow cadet can handle it.” 】
Fuck.
I finally noticed the affiliations written next to their nas. I was about to face a Moon Shadow cadet?
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: “Sounds good.” 】
The Moon Shadow Division was a subdivision of the Assassin Departnt made up of highly skilled second-class cadets.
Out of the thousand-odd first-year cadets, only thirty were selected.
Every single one of them was far stronger than the average cadet.
The text box vanished soon after. That ant they had stopped thinking or talking and were preparing sothing.
My heart pounded as my imminent death approached.
I had to stop them, but how? I didn’t even know where they were...
Then—
Huh?
A minimap suddenly appeared at the bottom-right corner of my vision.
Three red dots blinked roughly 200 ters away, positioned diagonally from .
I turned my gaze in that direction and, eventually, I saw them—three figures perched on a nearby rooftop.
There they are.
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Hwaru: “Huh?” 】
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Dominic: “Wait, is he looking at us?” 】
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: “That can’t be. There’s no way he’d notice us from this distance.” 】
Too bad for you, I did notice. Now, stop it.
Unfortunately, they were too far away for to see exactly what they were doing.
My perception stat was too low.
All I could make out were three small dots wriggling and shifting around.
What on earth are they—
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: Head. 】
Aha. A sniper.
My brain imdiately deduced their plan: a headshot.
A glint of light flickered on the roof—likely the lens of the scope reflecting sunlight.
I squinted, but they were too far away to confirm.
This Forte guy must be the sniper.
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: Breath. 】
I was sure of it now. He was controlling his breathing.
That ant he was about to pull the trigger...
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: Three. 】
The countdown had begun.
Although I was pretending to stay calm, my mind had gone completely blank.
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: Two. 】
What could I do? What on earth could I do right now—
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: One. 】
Shit!
Fwip—!
A sharp whistle sliced through the air, passing just inches from my ear.
I tilted my head at the last possible mont, dodging the bullet by less than an inch—
And by only 0.01 seconds. Had I been any slower...
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion erupted behind .
I turned around.
The stone statue behind had been obliterated.
My heart pounded violently in my chest.
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Hwaru: “Huh?! He dodged it?!” 】
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Dominic: “The hell? Did he actually see the bullet coming with his bare eyes?” 】
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Hwaru: “Wow~!” 】
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Dominic: “That’s an insane reaction speed. The shot ca from 200 ters away!” 】
The cadets were freaking out.
I took a deep breath. I had to calm down.
That dodge was pure luck, and my opponent still had a rifle in their hands.
I have to stop them!
But what could I do? I couldn’t just start shouting at them to stop shooting at .
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: “He dodged it instead of blocking it...?” 】
Those words suddenly gave an idea.
Blocking a bullet with an ability or a magic spell wasn’t too difficult.
But dodging a bullet—just by tilting my head at the perfect mont, without an ability?
That was another story.
A bullet fired only 200 ters away? No ordinary person could react in ti.
In other words, I had to make them believe I was far stronger than I actually was. They might back off if they thought I was powerful enough to dodge bullets.
Having made up my mind, I raised a hand and gestured at them.
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Hwaru: “H-Huh?! He definitely saw us. I think he’s calling us over?” 】
【 Assassin Departnt, First-Year, Dominic: “Forte, go apologize. You caused this ss, so clean it up yourself.” 】
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: “Fucking hell... He’s really that strong...?” 】
With that, they finally stopped.
But this wasn’t the ti to lower my guard.
Monts later, a figure leaped from the rooftop of the seven-story building, deploying a parachute magic tool to slow their descent.
● Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte
A tag appeared, displaying the boy's na and affiliation as it floated above his head.
As the distance between us shrank, the tension thickened.
The cadet’s face was uneasy, but I felt the sa. My stomach twisted in anxiety, but I wasn’t about to let it show.
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: Fuck, this is humiliating... 】
Eventually, a boy with reddish-brown hair and a wolfish deanor landed before .
His sharp gaze and stiff posture made it clear—he was as prideful as he looked.
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: I can’t go down like this. Not by getting a penalty point. 】
What else is this crazy bastard planning?
His rifle hung on his back, untouched.
Did he have a hidden card up his sleeve? Or was he just going to walk up and strangle to death?
Then he spoke.
“Hello, Professor. I am Forte, a first-year Moon Shadow cadet.”
I remained silent, staring at him.
“I apologize for hastily attempting to assassinate you. I forgot that it was against the rules to do so outside of class.”
He bowed deeply as if in sincere regret.
But the mont his hand brushed against the pocket on his thigh, another tag popped up into my vision, this ti displaying a weapon na and its grade.
* Jackknife [Common]
I reacted instinctively...
“You’re dead if you draw that knife.”
And threatened the boy.
Forte’s body stiffened mid-bow. His fingers flinched, hesitated, and then slowly retracted.
【 Moon Shadow Division, First-Year, Forte: Huh?!! 】
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