I Became the Academy’s Kibitz Villain

“First, let me ask you. Mr. Kim Tae-sik, do you think physicality is more important, or is technique more important?”

“…….”

“I’m talking about one-on-one combat.”

“Oh, right?”

It naturally referred to a confrontation between people.

It was a constructive conversation aimed at improving skills, with no inappropriate content.

“I believe physicality is important.”

Of course, that would be expected.

He’s an ability user, an S-class, and young.

“Oppa’s physicality is Special EX level.”

“Be quiet.”

I covered Yumir’s mouth with my hand.

“Mmmpf.”

“There is a term called ‘Deal Overwhelming.’ It means overwhelming with sheer force, which is possible only with overwhelming physicality. It’s a given. But Mr. Kim Tae-sik, have you ever faced someone with equal physicality?”

“…….”

“You can speak comfortably. If it’s awkward, I can start with my story first. Would that be okay?”

“Alright, let’s hear it.”

As far as I knew.

Taejo had faced many A-class opponents but has never faced an S-class.

What?

Hadn’t he faced numerous S-classes with his status as the S-class detector?

No one would say such a thing.

Unless they were a demon like Duoexini or Kyobaris who didn’t understand human emotions.

“I have faced beings with equal or even greater physicality than myself.”

“……!”

“My opponent had superior stamina and endurance. They were difficult to overwhelm with strength or durability alone. What helped me overcome that was technique.”

“What kind of technique?”

“Preparation.”

I extended my hand forward with my palm facing up.

“Mr. Kim Tae-sik. Have you ever gone straight into a decisive battle while relying solely on physicality?”

“…….”

“Before entering a decisive battle, have you ever lightly worn down your opponent?”

“Uh, um.”

Kim Taejo hesitated, rubbing his chin with his hand.

“Have you often used the mana in your body to tire out your opponent before you got tired?”

“…….”

“Initially, there might not have been any reaction, but at some point, when your opponent’s posture crumbled like a breaking dam, didn’t you then press down even harder with your physicality?”

“Huh….”

Taejo’s mouth hung open.

According to the information from the Secret Society, Taejo relies on his S-class physicality to overpower opponents with magic.

‘It’s obvious just by looking at him.’

Even without watching leaked videos, it’s clear.

Although they exist in the Secret Society’s database, I can tell Taejo’s tendencies without watching other people’s videos.

“Someday, you will face an opponent of the same grade. If you try to overpower them with physicality and get overwhelmed, you will be momentarily flustered. What you need then is technique and preparation.”

“Specifically what?”

“For starters….”

Taejo brought his thighs together and placed both hands on his knees, his eyes sparkling.

His intense enthusiasm almost made me laugh out loud.

“Can you do mind-reading?”

“…No.”

“If not, actively reading your opponent’s thoughts is also a method. Asking them directly.”

“Huh?”

Taejo tilted his head.

“Do they answer if you ask?”

“Usually, they don’t. But if you keep asking, sometimes they do. It’s likely that your opponent wants you to do such actions.”

I reached out to Yumir.

“Ask them to attack here, to ease their offensive, to strike harder. If you continue, your opponent will eventually be disarmed.”

“Oh….”

“And most importantly, you need to make your opponent enter the decisive state first.”

I lightly clenched my hand and thrust two fingers inside.

“You mustn’t force your way into their openings. When your opponent can no longer bear it and starts to panic, when they unconsciously open up, that’s when you strike.”

“…….”

“Until now, you’ve probably done it forcefully without such a process. But you still won.”

“So.”

Taejo began to grow impatient, his posture serious.

“What should I do?”

“……This is tough.”

It was frustrating.

“I can’t exactly show you a demonstration.”

“Why not?”

“……What?”

Yumir, in her transformed state, laughed quietly.

“The train hasn’t even passed Daegu yet, right? It’s still a long way to Seoul, and it doesn’t stop in between.”

“…….”

“An hour should be enough for a face-to-face lesson.”

“But what if….”

“I promise.”

Taejo raised both hands, nodding vigorously.

“I will only watch. I will only take note. I may look like this, but I am not the kind of person who takes someone else’s woman.”

“……Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“No, I mean, that’s true, but are you really that eager to learn just by watching?”

“Yes.”

This man.

He was too serious.

And Yumir beside him was just as serious.

“…….”

I knew.

No matter how much visual material you showed in theoretical education, it was meaningless if there was no practical training.

Taejo will undoubtedly use what he learned here on his partner back in Gyeongseong, but for now, he would only learn by watching a practical demonstration.

“…Sigh.”

Was this okay?

This wasn’t in the plan.

But.

Yumir’s suggestion couldn’t be wrong, so this was not the wrong path.

“Mr. Kim Tae-sik.”

“Yes.”

“Wait a moment, I need to consult with my girlfriend.”

I pulled Yumir outside.

At that moment.

The two men and women in the car met again at a quiet motel.

“This place is….”

“A no-tell*?”

“It’s one of the shelters of the Secret Society.”

The red-haired woman, ‘Brewer,’ guided the real Hyeon Cheolsu and Jeon Yeonghui through the shelter that looked like a motel.

“If the situation goes wrong, we will take you overseas immediately. To the U.S. or wherever you want. If you want to go to another place besides the immigration candidates you mentioned before, we will arrange it accordingly.”

“Um, I have a question.”

“Yes, please ask anything.”

“…If things go well.”

Hyeon Cheolsu held Jeon Yeonghui’s hand.

“Oppa. It’s okay. I’m with you.”

“Hu. Alright. …Then.”

His hand was trembling with tension, but it seemed to calm a bit when Jeon Yeonghui clasped both hands over his.

“If everything goes smoothly, can we return to our original positions?”

“Of course. After all this is over, the two ‘top agents’ will organize the materials and tell you everything. What conversations took place, who ate what with whom, everything. Please rest assured.”

There was no hint of anxiety in Brewer’s voice.

“The Secret Society has no failures or mistakes. We are merely borrowing your positions for a while and will return them cleanly.”

“If a demon appears or something goes wrong….”

“Even if something goes wrong, there will be no harm to you.”

“That’s a relief, but….”

“Then, please have a comfortable rest.”

As Brewer closed the door and went out, the two lay down on the bed, seemingly relieved of their tension.

“Sigh. Is this really okay?”

“Oppa. It’s fine. If things go wrong and we have to leave for another country, they said they would give us 20 billion each.”

“Maybe we should have asked for more money?”

“…Maybe. Let’s check it out first.”

Beep.

As they turned on the TV with the remote beside them, a large TV on the wall showed a train heading north.

-…The train carrying the girl group Star Flowers is heading towards Kaesong for a musical performance….

“So, there are Secret Society agents on that train instead of us.”

“That’s right.”

“Is that true? The man who was supposed to be our teammate…being Armored Taejo.”

“It must be.”

“Oppa.”

Jeon Yeonghui bit her lip.

“What if, Armored Taejo tries to take the person disguised as me?”

“What?”

“Armored Taejo, they say he’s promiscuous.”

“…Come on. Would an S-class person try to take someone else’s woman? It would be more convincing if he aimed for all four idols at once.”

“But rather than idols….”

“Of course, he’d prefer an ability user. But Yeonghui, would he try to take someone with a boyfriend?”

Even if he was an S-class hero.

Even if he was Armored Taejo, he wouldn’t do such a despicable thing.

They had no choice but to believe that.

“Yeah. No way…would a man with a fiancée do that?”

“He has a fiancée, but he still sees other women.”

“…….”

Was it because they were in a confined space?

Or was it because someone else was moving in their place?

“…It’s okay. Everything will be fine. There won’t be any problems.”

Watching the train heading north, the two just hoped everything would end without major issues.

“What are you really planning to do?”

“Oppa. The bait is almost taken. We just need to show him.”

It’s driving me crazy.

Yumir was stepping up actively, and Taejo was showing interest.

“Even if there’s a lot of time left before the train reaches Seoul.”

“Isn’t it better because it’s not us? And according to the data you gave me, these people aren’t exactly good people.”

“…….”

“We’re just acting based on what these people ‘would do.’ These people actually did such things, right?”

Yumir wasn’t just making baseless claims.

These two did engage in such activities.

If they hadn’t, Yumir wouldn’t have suggested such a crazy plan.

“That’s true.”

“Then, we have our answer.”

Yumir was confident.

“We’re going to show Mr. Kim Tae-sik the perfect harmony of physicality and technique. This might change his life.”

“…….”

Was this really okay?

“Hey.”

I grabbed Yumir’s shoulders.

“If something goes wrong-”

“I’ll join the Secret Society. For sure. As a full member, not an intern.”

“……Hoo.”

Decision.

“If something goes wrong, I’ll take full responsibility for you.”

“…….”

“If Taejo tries to touch you even a little, I’ll transform immediately and cut off his wrist. If that’s okay, let’s do it.”

“…It should be fine.”

If the protagonist was this confident, I had no choice but to trust.

“Alright. Let’s show what patriotism is.”

I went back to the compartment with Yumir.

Kim Taejo was sticking close to the entrance of the compartment, and I sent Yumir inside and locked the door.

“Then.”

Click.

“I’ll show you the demonstration.”

Of course.

“How to send an enemy away with one hand.”

“……?”

Yumir tilted her head beside me, but I just extended one hand forward.

“What’s this?”

“No, I mean, it looks like you’re about to do something….”

“I’m doing it. Training.”

No actual game.

“What did you imagine? What I’ll show you is hand techniques for one-on-one combat.”

I pointed my middle and index fingers into the air.

“Called, Ninja Arts.”

Flick flick.

“Did you think I would show patriotism right here on the train?”