Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy

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Friday evening 7 o’clock.

On any other weekend eve, this would be the time to go out and have fun, but I was in the circle room on the 3rd floor of the student hall.

Smaller than other major circles, but not overshadowed by average small circles, it was a spacious room.

And the external design and interior design of the room were simply luxurious.

…This is the circle room of <Anti-Villain> which I just established.

After going through various troubles, today is finally the first meeting where I can see the faces of the members.

“Oh, it’s so flashy!”

Park Jin-woo, who came with me, looked around the circle room in surprise.

I chuckled and replied.

“Of course. Look how much support we received.”

There’s a reason why <Anti-Villain>’s circle room is designed so gorgeously.

During the new circle establishment approval process, we received the academy’s full support.

Not just some support.

Full support.

The level of support that only major circles like <Flame Dance> could receive… we got it.

My mentor Professor Tak Won-ho is in the academy’s management, and Kim Myeong-hyun, <Anti-Villain>’s supervisor professor, has a high reputation within the academy. And also…

“It’s because our circle leader Do Jae-hyun did something huge.”

Park Jin-woo exaggeratedly answered for me.

Kim Do-yoon’s ‘Practical Attack Incident’.

This became a huge issue not only in the academy but the entire Holder world.

Just a few months ago at the end of semester evaluations, a student Holder tried to deliberately kill another student, and as soon as the new semester started, another Holder trying to kill a classmate appeared.

‘There were a lot of suspicious points too.’

He used [Berserk Potion], which is a prohibited item.

Also, I was coincidentally trying to create a circle called <Anti-Villain>.

With those elements combined, it was practically confirmed that Kim Do-yoon was a clan member of <Villain>.

<Villain> sent spies and unfolded various operations, trying to murder student Holders but failed…

It was something the academy could not overlook.

As a result, the new circle <Anti-Villain> that I was trying to create unintentionally benefited from it.

The management’s will to root out <Villain> within the academy coincided with the circle establishment, allowing us to get such overwhelming support.

“Stop exaggerating.”

Whenever he catches something, this guy Park Jin-woo tries to make fun of me.

There wasn’t even anything to make fun of, but listening to his mocking tone made me slightly irritated.

Park Jin-woo laughed loudly and said.

“Why, it’s true. A student Holder who single-handedly took down a berserk B-grade Holder? Of course everyone would be interested. I heard clans are even giving recruitment offers through hijacking these days?”

Boo-woong-

“….”

…Is my phone not gentlemanly enough?

Right after Park Jin-woo finished talking, my phone vibrated to indicate an incoming call.

After briefly checking the number, it was from an unknown caller.

As Park Jin-woo said, it must be a clan’s call.

Ever since the news widely reported how I, a student Holder, took down the berserk Kim Do-yoon, my phone has been getting calls like this every day.

I wonder how they even got my number.

“Hahaha! See, I’m right. Everyone recognizes it, why don’t you accept it?”

“It’s not recognized by everyone.”

I snapped at Park Jin-woo laughing like an idiot.

“What do you mean?”

“First of all, the premise is wrong. Alone took down a berserk B-grade Holder? I don’t get it. Weren’t Moon Ga-eun and I clearly there? Why do the articles say that?”

Kim Do-yoon wasn’t taken down by just me.

Moon Ga-eun and I worked together to take him down.

While I could have somehow taken him down alone, I can’t deny that her support fire was perfectly timed.

The reason we were able to take down Kim Do-yoon relatively easily was because she and I fought in perfect harmony.

But in the articles, only my feats were focused on.

– The world is amazed! Japan is shocked and America is envious! Seoul Holder Academy’s student holder takes down a berserk B-grade Holder alone?

‘….’

This was an actual headline.

There are no titles like this.

It was an article so embarrassing I couldn’t lift my face.

Even when Kang Juyeon first appeared, it wasn’t like this. Anyway, the media goes crazy whenever a promising new Holder emerges.

“And they aren’t even formal recruitment offers. The clans who contact me don’t actually make recruitment offers, they just talk in circles and spout nonsense.”

When I actually answer the calls, the clans say something else.

Whether I have the secret to gaining multi-talent runes…

If I have any Holder friends to recommend…

They were questions with no important value and not even worth answering.

After listening to him quietly, Park Jin-woo asked.

“Isn’t it because you already have a clan as a patron?”

“A patron? Puh- why suddenly bring up a patron?”

“You’re Kang Juyeon’s.”

“What?”

Ah, this slow-witted bastard.

Here he goes again.

Before I could say anything, Park Jin-woo quickly answered.

“Oh, just kidding. You were an intern at Judgment of Fire, right? And an exceptionally short 2-month internship. Isn’t that why other clans are hesitating? Since you already have a patron, Judgment of Fire.”

“Huh?”

It was an unexpectedly rational inference.

At Park Jin-woo’s unusually sharp insight, I unconsciously nodded.

There was certainly that possibility.

Among countless small clans, no clan would be confident about winning over someone who interned at Judgment of Fire, one of the top 3 domestic clans.

That’s why they keep asking about Holder friends to recommend and the secret behind how I became so strong.

Well, I hadn’t deeply considered joining a clan yet so they were just grasping at straws, but still.

“Anyway, it’s annoying. I want the attention to die down quickly so I can focus on circle work.”

“I heard your circle is getting explosive attention too?”

“That’s all fake. We don’t have any applicants, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I figured.”

I chuckled and opened the door to the circle room.

The interior was glamorous, befitting a circle room that received a lot of support.

On one side there was a large bookcase and storage furniture, and on the other side there were amenities like a sofa, TV, and computer.

And another room occupying half the circle room.

It was a room configured like a study room, equipped with everything needed to prepare presentations like a long table and chairs, making it a perfect space for circle meetings.

We were calling it the conference room.

“Professor, you’re early.”

The conference room already had a lot of people, including <Anti-Villain>’s supervisor professor Kim Myeong-hyun.

Professor Kim Myeong-hyun welcomed us with a happy face.

“Holder Do Jae-hyun, you’re here. And next to you is… Holder Park Jin-woo, right?”

Park Jin-woo nodded slightly, looking a bit surprised.

“Yes, that’s right. You remember me.”

“Haha, of course I remember a student who took my class. I remember you had outstanding practical skills, but theory was a bit lacking.”

“Ah…”

“It’s alright. Practical skills are more important than theory.”

…Professor Kim also subtly feeds it to him nicely.

Park Jin-woo’s theory was probably not just somewhat lacking, but hard to even look at.

Since his style is to charge in with his body first, and Park Jin-woo doesn’t have a good studying head.

Leaving the dejected Park Jin-woo behind after the professor’s jab.

I spoke to Professor Kim Myeong-hyun.

“Professor, I think all the members will be gathered in about 10 minutes.”

“Yes, a lot have already arrived.”

“Um, before that…”

There were about 10 minutes until the first meeting of <Anti-Villain> members.

Before that, I had something to discuss with Professor Kim Myeong-hyun.

‘Jae-hyun, heyyy!’

From the corner of the conference room, a female student gestured a greeting to me with her mouth shape.

Among many people, my friend Kim Chae-eun quickly entered my sight.

It was about recruiting her into the circle.

I lightly waved back at her greeting, then stepped out of the circle room with Professor Kim for a moment.

“Sorry, Professor.”

As soon as the students disappeared from the vicinity, I apologized first.

Professor Kim Myeong-hyun’s expression is filled with puzzlement.

“What does Holder Do Jae-hyun have to apologize to me for?”

“About recruiting Cha-eun…”

As I hesitated with my words, Professor Kim Myeong-hyun seemed to understand and raised his finger.

“Ah, are you apologizing because Chae-eun joined the circle as a member?”

“Yes… that’s right.”

“Haha, why are you apologizing for that? She definitely begged you persistently to join.”

As expected of a dad.

Too accurate.

Despite thinking of Professor Kim Myeong-hyun’s worries, I tried to not let Kim Chae-eun join the circle, but I couldn’t convince her stubbornness, famous for being headstrong.

Not joining the circle I directly created, especially one deeply related to her… didn’t make sense, she said.

She even negotiated directly with her dad, aka the supervisor professor.

The next day she confirmed the joining and notified me.

Professor Kim Myeong-hyun must have been persuaded enough to allow the joining, but still, it felt apologetic that the risk level of <Anti-Villain> seemed a bit higher around the time of the ‘Kim Do-yoon Attack Incident’.

“And you don’t need to worry too much. Our circle is quite safe, contrary to what Holder Do Jae-hyun thinks.”

“Safe…”

Professor Kim Myeong-hyun looked back at the circle room for a moment.

“For starters, Holder Kang Juyeon and Holder Moon Ga-eun joined as members.”

“Huh? What does that…”

Kang Juyeon and Moon Ga-eun?

While it’s true they joined as members, why did he suddenly mention them?

To my confusion, Professor Kim Myeong-hyun’s eyes widened a bit.

“Ah, Holder Do Jae-hyun must not have seen it.”

Then he fiddled with his phone for a bit before handing it to me.

– Judgment of Fire clan promises extensive support in money, equipment, and technology to academy circle <Anti-Villain>…

– Domestic top 3 clan <Royal> forms ‘Internal Security TF Team’ after agreement with academy, dispatches A-grade Holder Seong Na-yeon…

“These articles just came out.”

Professor Kim Myeong-hyun’s words rang blankly in my ears.

I also read those articles like an idiot.

No, what is this…

Why is this becoming such a big deal.

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