Academy’s Villain Professor

Chapter 36 : Island

It was only natural that the students were flustered.

Even though the hero landing was considered an essential skill for heroes, they had only studied it in theory so far.

Shouldn’t this kind of thing be practiced gradually, starting from a lower height?

One student tightly gripped the seatbelt, poked their head out of the transport aircraft to look at the ground below, and then shrank back inside, completely pale.

It was at least 50 meters high.

Jumping from here?

That’s absolutely insane!

Everyone looked at Ho-cheol with that same incredulous gaze.

Even Da-yeon, who would’ve jumped into a pit of fire if Ho-cheol ordered it, couldn’t bring herself to volunteer first.

Even if she didn’t have a fear of heights, she detested high places.

An atmosphere of blatant defiance began to form among the students, but Ho-cheol’s stance was unwavering.

“There’s no other way. This island doesn’t have anywhere else for this helicopter to land, so this is the best option.”

“…Couldn’t we at least go lower?”

At someone’s question, everyone nodded in agreement.

Fifty meters was too high.

If it were at least 20 meters—half the height—it would feel far less daunting.

They could just close their eyes and jump.

But Ho-cheol was resolute.

“That would actually make it worse. The wind from the aircraft would stir up the water, and anyone who falls into the lake could get swept away and put in danger. For the same reason, rope descent isn’t an option either.”

With Ho-cheol’s response, they could no longer argue.

What could they do when he put it like that?

There wasn’t a better alternative, so they had to follow orders.

At least it was a relief that they weren’t landing on solid ground.

Since no one volunteered until the end, it was decided they would descend in order of their attendance numbers.

The student with number one, who was now forced to go first, simply hated the world.

“After landing, move to the shore immediately to avoid colliding with the next student.”

With Ho-cheol’s advice, the students began leaping out one by one.

After all 43 students had been dropped, Ho-cheol’s gaze shifted to the side.

The students were all gone, but not everyone had jumped.

Realizing the meaning of his look, So-hee’s eyes widened.

She pointed at herself with her index finger.

“Me, me too?”

Her trembling voice and even shakier eyes were quite pitiful.

“Of course. What, need some courage?”

Ho-cheol, with a backpack on his shoulders, reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

As if he were about to push her out, So-hee shook her head vigorously.

“It’s not about courage—you’re planning to shove me out!”

So-hee grabbed his wrist with both hands, her voice trembling with tears.

Despite all the dangerous missions she’d undertaken while monitoring Ho-cheol, she had never been as terrified as she was now.

Unlike heroes, as a civil servant, it wasn’t strange for her to have a fear of heights.

“I’m not an augmentation type! If I fall from this height, I’ll definitely die!”

She was being a bit dramatic.

Well, it was true that without augmentation traits, her physical capabilities were lacking.

She might not die, but it wasn’t impossible for her to get injured.

“Maybe I should take your trait differences into account.”

“Right! I’ll just stay quietly with the professor driving the helicopter!”

Ho-cheol reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist.

Startled, So-hee bit her tongue, but Ho-cheol didn’t care in the slightest.

He secured his grip around her waist and slightly turned his head.

At such close proximity that their faces would touch if either tilted their head just a bit, her ragged breathing brushed against Ho-cheol’s cheek before dissipating.

“Huh? What? Suddenly—?”

Before So-hee could say anything more, Ho-cheol leaped out of the helicopter.

“Eek?!”

In her panic, So-hee held her breath.

The wind enveloped her entire body, and the sensation of floating with nothing beneath her feet made her lose her mind for a moment.

Barely a second later, when her senses returned, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

“You crazy bastard!!!!”

* * *

Splash—!

Drenched students staggered out of the lake one by one.

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

One student, wringing out their soaked hair, hugged themselves and shivered lightly.

The lake water was as cold as ice.

It was a good thing the sun was warm; if this had been early spring a few weeks ago, they’d all have caught colds for sure.

“Over here, come here!”

The students who had landed earlier had gathered dry branches and started several campfires.

It wasn’t a fire-making trait, but the lighter they carried in their pockets was a marvel of modern technology—it wouldn’t break just because it got wet.

As the students gathered in small groups to warm themselves by the fires, someone spoke up, puzzled.

“Doesn’t it feel like your body’s weirdly heavy? Even breathing feels a bit harder.”

“Definitely.”

It wasn’t just because they had landed from a great height.

Those with augmentation traits were more sensitive to environmental changes than ordinary people.

To them, the island’s environment felt off.

It wasn’t unbearable, but there was a stronger resistance in the air itself.

Breathing and even moving felt uncomfortable.

It wasn’t something they could dismiss as a mere condition issue when all 40-plus students felt it.

Before they could fully adjust to the discomfort and unease, a scream grew closer from above.

SPLASH—!!!

The loudest splash yet silenced the scream.

Unlike the other students, he emerged from the water almost instantly, with So-hee clinging to his side.

“We actually fell! Ugh!”

She sniffled, repeatedly hitting his side.

“I thought I was going to die!”

“You didn’t die, did you?”

Releasing her waist, Ho-cheol stood before the students.

“Alright. This is just the landing point. Our destination is the beach on the northwest side. We’ll head there immediately. Oh, and this is my private island, so feel free to use your traits.”

At the unexpected declaration, everyone looked at Ho-cheol with surprise.

From the sky, the island didn't look small at all.

It was clearly large enough to build a resort and make a fortune.

To think Ho-cheol was the owner of this island—it made him seem even more impressive.

But wasn’t a villain’s property supposed to be confiscated?

A strange question arose, but it wasn’t important right now, so they quickly dismissed it.

Someone raised their hand and asked?

“What about lunch?”

After a three-hour flight with no in-flight meal and an unexpected dip in the water, it was only natural they were hungry.

As if he’d been waiting for the question, Ho-cheol answered immediately.

“There’s a buffet waiting at the destination. It’s mostly seafood, but just in case some of you can’t eat fish, there’s regular meat and vegan options too, so don’t worry.”

Though it was just a brief explanation, the words it contained had an electrifying effect.

Buffet!

Seafood!

Meat!

A wave of excitement spread instantly.

A wide sandy beach, a lodge with a view of the ocean, and a fresh seafood buffet.

Just hearing about it made their hearts tingle with anticipation and their bodies buzz with excitement.

Some swallowed hard, while others wiped drool from their mouths.

All the complaints they’d had toward Ho-cheol moments ago had completely vanished.

Well, some might have enjoyed the descent, and anyway, aspiring heroes had to go through this kind of experience at least once.

So what!

With his arms crossed, Ho-cheol continued.

“But first.”

He set down the backpack he’d been carrying.

When he unzipped it, dozens of identical watches were inside.

The unusual thing was that, in addition to the three standard hands, there was an extra hand, one side dyed red, pointing in a single direction—clearly functioning as a compass.

Handing the bag to Ye-jin, he explained.

“Everyone, wear one. It’s a watch with basic timekeeping and compass functions, plus location tracking and an emergency call feature in case of accidents. If an emergency arises, press the side protrusion twice quickly.”

Getting these watches hadn’t been cheap, but Ho-cheol didn’t care about the cost.

After all, how much money had he sent to the dean?

This much was nothing.

After confirming that the students had put on the watches, he snapped his fingers to get their attention again.

“It’s about a 20-minute walk to the destination. However, the central mountain is rugged and the paths are complicated, so stick to the forest routes as much as possible. Since it’s your first time here, consider the weather and other conditions.”

After mentally calculating something, Ho-cheol nodded.

“Meals will be first-come, first-served, with a one-hour time limit. Begin.”

The words “first-come, first-served” and “time limit” lit a fire under the previously relaxed atmosphere.

Everyone bolted toward the direction Ho-cheol had indicated without looking back.

“Haa.”

Watching their frantic retreating figures, Ho-cheol let out a sigh.

All he’d said was “first-come, first-served” and “time limit,” and they’d thrown teamwork and cooperation to the dogs, opting for solo play.

He could already see a future where they all went hungry.

“Where are you going?”

At Ho-cheol’s low voice, So-hee, who had been running as well, stopped in her tracks.

Turning around, she gave an awkward smile.

“For a moment, I thought I was included.”

Scratching the back of her head, she crouched back down by the campfire.

With her hands clasped and bent downward, she looked remarkably like a puppy with its front paws together.

Shaking his head and clicking his tongue, Ho-cheol turned as Se-ah, who had approached, poked his side with her elbow.

“You’re really harsh.”

“What?”

“If the island’s map and specs are as you described, there’s no way they’ll make it to the beach in an hour.”

“No, they can make it. If they cooperate properly, that is.”

The standards he set were always tough and precarious, but he never set impossible goals.

After his curt reply, Ho-cheol belatedly furrowed his brow and turned his head.

“What the—when did you get down here?”

He looked up to confirm the transport aircraft were still hovering in place.

Perplexed, he asked?

“What about that?”

“Gom-gom’s handling it. Keeping it parked in one spot is easy enough. I don’t think I’ll have much to do anyway.”

So the bear doll she carried around was named Gom-gom.

Just because it was a bit capable, it got roped into piloting the helicopter?

Poor Gom-gom.

Looking between So-hee and Se-ah, Ho-cheol said.

“You two, head to the destination and receive the students who arrive first.”

“What about you?”

“Me?”

Ho-cheol gestured with his chin toward the peak of the distant mountain.

“I’m going to say hi to an acquaintance. Got some things to discuss while I’m at it.”

“Didn’t you say this was an uninhabited island…?”

“Wait a second! Unauthorized contact with outsiders is prohibited!”

Before Se-ah could finish, So-hee jumped up and shouted.

Ho-cheol waved his hand leisurely, as if to calm her down.

“I know. And my answer’s the same as last time.”

Recalling their visit to the Hero National Cemetery, So-hee asked warily.

“It’s not another living person this time, is it?”

“No, it’s alive. But it’s not a person this time. If there were people, it wouldn’t be an uninhabited island, would it? This is definitely an uninhabited island.”

This island was indeed uninhabited, and Ho-cheol was unquestionably its owner. However, it had a separate caretaker.

“It’s not even an artificial gate, so why would gate phenomena persist?”

Se-ah blinked slowly, then belatedly realized the truth.

Her jaw dropped in shock.

“You… you crazy bastard!”

In hindsight, it was endlessly strange and suspicious.

An island with gate-specific phenomena still active?

The odds of such phenomena occurring naturally on a regular island were near zero—a near miracle.

But there was another, more likely possibility they hadn’t even considered.

Though more probable than the former, no sane person would ever make such a choice.

But Ho-cheol wasn’t sane.

She frantically looked around.

“Then this place is—!”

“Are you quick or slow to catch on?”

Ho-cheol nodded.

“That’s right. This island is currently entirely eroded by a gate.”

It was an unconquered erosion-type gate.

Se-ah looked like she was about to grab Ho-cheol by the collar, but unfortunately, her arms were too short.

Instead, she grabbed his waistband and shook him vigorously.

“You lunatic! Given the size of this island, it’s at least a Stage 3 gate! Are you trying to get all the kids killed?!”

“…Come on. I’ve eliminated all the dangerous elements except the core. The core’s been subdued and neutralized to the point it can’t fight. I didn’t choose to use this as my private island for no reason.”

“Then that’s even crazier! Privatizing a gate without reporting it is clearly illeg—!”

She couldn’t finish the word “illegal.” She belatedly recalled that Ho-cheol was a villain.

The look in her eyes as she stared at him was thick with suspicion.

“You… you’re not C-rank, are you?”

It wasn’t about his skills.

It was about the very villain rank assigned to him by the state.

Ho-cheol merely shrugged without a word.

* * *

Leaving Se-ah and So-hee’s duet of scolding behind, I climbed the mountain alone.

Or rather, I wanted to.

“Let’s—huff! Let’s go together!”

Unlike Se-ah, who went to the forest out of concern for the students, So-hee insisted on following me to fulfill her duty as my overseer.

She tried her best to keep up with me, but it was clearly not enough.

Unable to leave her behind completely, I slowed my pace slightly.

As a result, what should’ve been a leisurely 20-minute climb to the summit took twice as long.

“We’re here. Just get over this rock, and we’re done.”

I extended a hand toward So-hee, who was struggling to climb the final large rock.

“Ugh, thank you.”

Groaning, she took my hand and scrambled over the rock.

And so, we reached the mountain’s summit.

The mountainside had been lush with dense forest, but as we neared the peak, the greenery gradually faded, giving way to a completely barren landscape.

As if not even a blade of grass was permitted, the stark summit felt like an alien space even on this island.

In the center of a crater-like basin, a beast lay curled up.

The beast twitched its nose while remaining in its lying position.

“Been a while. Doing alright? I’ve got some things to adjust regarding the island’s settings.”

Saying this, I stepped toward the beast.

Slowly, it rose to its feet.

A wolf with silver fur tinged with blue moved its nose and ears continuously, as if trying to recall the owner of this voice and scent.

It would’ve been easier to confirm with its eyes, but where its eyes should’ve been was a long, horizontal scar.

“Why aren’t you answering? Don’t tell me you forgot how to talk because it’s been so long?”

In my words, the wolf lowered its stance.

It finally remembered.

Though the unpleasant scent and voice were much fainter than before, they were definitely familiar.

The wolf wrinkled its snout, baring sharp teeth the size of a human torso between its jaws.

Being bitten wouldn’t just hurt—it’d be far worse.

I let out a sigh.

“Ugh. Growling at me the moment we meet after so long. This guy used to be smart, but it seems like wearing that wolf pelt turned its intelligence into that of a beast.”

At least it stayed obediently within its designated area, so it seemed to remember something.

But its memory appeared foggy.

Who the master was, who was in charge, and who owned this island.

“Shut your trap.”

The wolf roared.

—!

A grotesque cry poured from its wide-open jaws.

So-hee collapsed on the spot.

It wasn’t just intimidation or fear of death.

The overwhelming sensation of being prey in the presence of an apex predator stripped her of even her will to survive.

“Ha, haha…”

Under the crushing stress, a nervous laugh escaped her.

But I, who took the full brunt of the beast’s presence, remained calm.

Stepping forward, I positioned myself in front of So-hee, as if shielding her.

“Well, ten years is long enough for humans to forget the hierarchy set back then.”

I ran a hand through my hair.

“Guess we’ll have to trade a few blows for you to listen.”

At that moment, the wolf lunged at me.