Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy

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After briefly asking for Professor Tak Won-ho’s understanding, I had a conversation with Professor Kang Dong-wook.

He seemed to have many questions for me, and I also had things I wanted to ask him.

“First, regarding the monster that contracted with Holder Do Jae-hyun. Wasn’t it originally the contract monster of the Villain Master Hwang Dong-yeon?”

As soon as we sat down with tea, Professor Kang Dong-wook cut right to the main point. I lightly answered his question.

“You mean Bon?”

“Bon…?”

“Ah, that’s the name of my contract monster. Since it’s a bone dragon made entirely of bones, I shortened it to Bon.”

At that, Professor Kang Dong-wook froze for a moment. He had an expression of not understanding what he had just heard….I guess I did choose the name poorly.

Seeing even Professor Kang react this way.

I regretted my past mistake and continued speaking.

“Ahem. Anyway, Bon was originally Hwang Dong-yeon’s contract monster. During the battle, the contract was momentarily terminated and it made a new contract with me.”

“Is that really true?”

“Yes. Is there some kind of problem?”

“No, no. More than a problem, it’s an innovation! In the history of the Taming Discipline so far, there has never been a case where someone has taken another person’s contract monster. Holder Do Jae-hyun is the first.”

Professor Kang Dong-wook exclaimed with an extremely excited expression.

Another first.

Since becoming a Holder, it seems I’ve obtained that title very often.

Whether it’s good luck or a reflection of my abilities, I don’t know.

In any case, Professor Kang Dong-wook hurriedly took out his writing supplies from his bag and began summarizing our conversation and recording it.

‘His passion is really amazing.’

Although we’ve already met several times, among the academy professors, Professor Kang Dong-wook was exceptionally overflowing with scholarly passion and desire for research.

“As I’ve told you before, attempting to tame a monster can only be done when all the situational requirements are met.”

“Yes, I remember. It was magic power depletion and debility, right?”

“Exactly.”

Professor Kang Dong-wook nodded in satisfaction.

Right before being deployed for the <Villain> suppression operation.

The brief lecture Professor Kang Dong-wook gave me in the hotel cafe.

At that time, he said that two conditions were necessary to tame a monster.

‘Magic power depletion’ and ‘debility’.

The former refers to the state where the monster’s magic power has been completely depleted, and the latter is a rare abnormal status that occurs when a battle has gone on for a long time.

In short, as he put it.

You have to push the monster to the brink of death and then induce those two abnormal status conditions I mentioned earlier.

And afterwards, use the derived skill of the [Taming Contract] rune called [Hand of Illusion] to successfully continue the contract with the monster.

It’s quite demanding conditions, but…

When all these conditions are met, the success rate of the contract is 100%.

So far, no Taming Discipline Holder has ever experienced failure within this framework.

“But Holder Do Jae-hyun broke that mold. And in a way where he even snatched away his opponent’s monster.”

Professor Kang Dong-wook looked at me as if it was truly miraculous.

…To be honest, it was miraculous to me too.

At the time, I had just approached with the thought of defeating that bone dragon, yet somehow it had become my contract monster.

But looking back on it now, there were reasonable grounds for what happened.

‘The first is the rune’s special effect.’

[Promise Bound by Dragon] greatly increases the chance of contract success for those related to the legend of dragons or those with some draconic traits, which the contract target possesses.

Bon the bone dragon obviously met this condition.

That’s why the abrupt contract proceeded smoothly without issues.

And the second reason is…

‘Hwang Dong-yeon also couldn’t properly control Bon.’

I recalled the information of Hwang Dong-yeon’s main rune.

[Corpse Commander]

<Rune Information>

◎ Name: Corpse Commander

◎ Grade: Epic

◎ Level: Max

◎ Engraved Location: Nape of neck

◎ Special Effects:-

– All abilities increase by 10% when commanding multiple targets. Only applies when commanding at least 3 or more targets.

– Restrictions on the ‘Commanders’ that can be contracted is removed. As long as a contract has been completed with the Commanders, they can all be controlled regardless of Leadership points. However, if all the magic power shared with the contractor is depleted, the summoning of the Commanders can be cancelled. This effect and the Ultimate Skill ‘Death Revival’ only apply when in possession of runes related to ‘Spirit Contracts’.

◎ Ultimate Skill

◎ [Death Revival]

– Oration: Arise

– Cooldown: 30 days

– Conclude contracts at the same time with Commanders that were ‘prepared’ in advance, and they can be revived simultaneously. However, the contracted Commanders will be in an ‘unstable contract relationship’ for the first 24 hours. After 24 hours have passed, official contracts with the contractors can be made again.

…

…

[Corpse Commander].

The reason Hwang Dong-yeon was able to control so many undead on the day of the operation was because of this rune.

No matter how high one’s Leadership stat is, I wondered how he was controlling so many undead, and it was because of this cheat-like effect of removing restrictions.

Also, the reason why I was able to contract with Bon was because of this rune.

[Death Revival].

It has the unique and powerful merit of being able to make premade monsters into undead for use, but there was also the risk that the resulting contracts would be imperfect.

‘…Although I doubt he expected a crazy guy would come and snatch away the monster.’

This was probably something even Hwang Dong-yeon didn’t predict.

“So Holder Do Jae-hyun’s rune isn’t for taming contracts?”

“Well… Strictly speaking, yes. Anyway, Bon was an undead, so it counted as a Corpse. Although its form is that of a monster, of course.”

“I see.”

[Promise Bound by Dragon] is strictly different from [Taming Contract].

While [Taming Contract] is limited to contracts with beasts, insects, monsters with peculiar forms, etc., [Promise Bound by Dragon] can contract with any ‘being’ that has lost sentience due to magic stones, as long as they have sentience.

Likely even spirits and, as with contracting Bon, Commanders as well.

Presumably it occupies the top position among contract-related rune disciplines.

It made instant sense why the rune’s grade was Legendary.

“Then… About that Bon of Holder Do Jae-hyun’s… exactly what grade do you estimate it is? Judging by its physical abilities at that time, it was surely at the top national level.”

At Professor Kang Dong-wook’s question, I also shook my head.

“I definitely don’t know either. It certainly seems to exceed A-grade, but I can’t judge if it’s at S-grade. As you know, S-grade isn’t a normal ranking.”

“Is Bon currently in Seoul?”

“Yes. It resides in my personal dungeon called Goblin Village.”

“…Holder Do Jae-hyun, you also have a dungeon?”

“Huh? Ah, haha… Yes, well.”

At Professor Kang Dong-wook’s expression, seemingly tired of it all, I awkwardly scratched my head.

Doesn’t everyone have at least one dungeon? I almost made that joke…

But held it in because the mood would have definitely turned strange.

By the way, regarding Bon’s residence in the dungeon, yesterday…

I received confirmation from the Korean Holder Association.

[Lee Ji-hye] Approval came down from upper management at the Association! The Chairman said to fulfill any request from Holder Do Jae-hyun as much as possible, heh heh. Starting today, we’ve also notified about this in the dungeon entry warning, so please rest easy keeping him there.

The Association was extremely favorable towards me.

Ever since then, I’ve asked them to help me with several tedious tasks, and they were all processed in less than a day.

‘…I understand why.’

Because, the <Villain> clan had been one of the biggest headaches for the Holder Association until now.

An vicious group that committed crimes not only against Holders, but ordinary citizens as well.

The chance to eradicate them all at once would have definitely not come easily.

While this incident was an operation the Academy had staked its life on, it was also a matter of pride for the Association.

As a result, I, who was at the center of resolving it, received the full attention of the Association.

The Chairman, who I haven’t even seen the face of once, keeps contacting me to eat a meal together… that should say plenty.

“Then, may I visit that dungeon sometime? It’s too valuable a research subject.”

“Of course. Professor Kang Dong-wook is my master regarding contracts. And for me to control Bon better as well, I need your research too. Please feel free to contact me anytime.”

“Good. Very good.”

With that, Professor Kang Dong-wook finally stood up from his seat.

After briefly saying goodbye to Professor Tak Won-ho, who was on the other side of the office, he immediately opened the door and left the professor’s office.

Creak- close.

“Whew….”

I flopped down on the sofa and let out a sigh.

How to put it.

I felt drained.

While it was definitely a constructive and good conversation, it was tiring at the same time.

Professor Kang Dong-wook’s passion for research.

It wasn’t easy keeping up with that.

“Good work.”

Professor Tak Won-ho, who was sitting on the other side of the office, smiled wryly and spoke to me.

I also smiled wryly in response.

“You did good work too, Master. Having to listen to all that…”

“What work was there. I just sat and listened. Rather than that…”

Professor Tak Won-ho suddenly stood up from his seat and approached me.

And the sheet of paper he had been holding in his hand.

He placed it down on the table.

I had been leaning back on the sofa, but immediately corrected my posture.

“What is this?”

“Read it.”

A simple proposal written on that single page.

Written there…

Was the large title.

<Student Clan Establishment Proposal>

The moment I saw that, my eyes widened as I looked at Professor Tak Won-ho.

“Master, this is…?”

Professor Tak Won-ho sat down on the sofa across from me and spoke in a calm voice.

“The Academy owes you, Do Jae-hyun, an enormous debt from this last operation. There were long discussions within the operating board about what reward we should give you, and how we should treat you.”

He tapped the table twice and continued speaking.

“The establishment of the first planned student clan at the Academy is the first proposed reward method. It hasn’t been specifically finalized yet, and is just an idea proposed for consideration. Read it and tell me your impression. If you, the concerned party, don’t like it, many other rewards have been prepared as well.”

Another first title for a proposed reward method.

But this time, the meaning was special.

If realized…

A clan started and established by students.

Giving me the full support for that clan.

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