I Become a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 63

"Is that punk embarrassed or something?"

"......Is he really embarrassed?"

When I asked that, the two people chuckled and extended their hands for a handshake.

"Of course, of course. Until now, most of the guys who asked that old man to take them as a disciple or be their mentor got beaten by us or didn't pass his threshold and left. But then this guy comes along and overpowers us in an instant? He passes! How great is that. Isn't it?"

"Right, right! Even the mediocre active guys would only manage to get beaten when facing us, but this guy beat us... Isn't the student a bit unusual? Ahahaha!"

Indeed, even in the game, I don't think I've ever seen that old man embarrassed.

He always had a distant expression or just laughed moderately, right?

"So that's what you mean....... Thank you very much for the sparring. I learned a lot."

"No, no. We had fun too."

"After sparring for a bit, I realized. This guy will become something great. Let's see each other often, shall we?"

"Yes, I will see you again next time."

After receiving handshakes from both of them, I bowed in gratitude and followed Gwak Chunshik who had walked ahead.

Eventually, Gwak Chunshik entered the building.

The building he entered was a mansion that distinctly boasted a different size compared to other buildings.

"What are you doing there? Are you surprised by how big the house is?"

Seeing me standing still in front of the house, Gwak Chunshik wore a smug smile.

"I just thought it was different from other places. Besides, why would I be surprised when my house is bigger?"

When I said that sincerely, he furrowed his brows and then quickly turned his head away.

"Grunt......! Get in here, punk!"

In the end, despite grumbling, he signaled for me to come in, and I entered as well.

The interior of the mansion he lived in exuded a quite luxurious atmosphere.

As they say, if someone is capable, they'll live in a palace even if they're exiled, and it seemed to be true.

"Here."

"Ah, yes."

The place I followed him to seemed to be the study he usually used.

Medals, plaques, and photos hung on one side of the wall.

Those countless items seemed to show what kind of person he was in the past.

"All you need is for me to write the mentor consent form, right? Let's see...... Here, done."

He, who had been clicking his tongue as if displeased, put a piece of paper down in front of me.

"Honestly, I never thought I'd be mentoring an academy rookie at this age......"

"But, isn't someone like me a lucky charm? I handle aura well, come from a wealthy family, and have skills too."

"Ha! Even the bravado!"

"Isn't it just self-awareness?"

Eventually, Gwak Chunshik burst into a smirk at my words.

"Yeah, everything you said is right, punk. Thanks to you, I won't be bored in my later years."

Despite his complaints, he seemed satisfied in the end.

At that moment, Gwak Chunshik's phone on the study table started to vibrate.

After glancing at the screen, he nodded with a smirk.

"Oh, it's about time."

Gwak Chunshik, who had turned off the continuous vibration of his phone, stood up and looked at me.

"Let's go."

"......Yes? Where are we going?"

"Gangneung! We're going to raid a dungeon."

"......?"

Isn't this old man supposed to be here as a punishment for cutting off villains' heads?

And now he wants to go raid a dungeon?

"Why do you look so surprised?"

"......As far as I know, sir, you've retired as an active hero and are only holding an honorary director position. Can you go raid a dungeon like this?"

"What? Hahahaha!"

Gwak Chunshik burst into laughter upon hearing my words.

"Well, legally, no, of course not. But Gangwon-do is vast enough for this. There are no people, but there's a lot of land, so I often go to dungeons that appear unexpectedly like this."

"......You, sir?"

"Yes. I usually get a lot of requests like this through the association...... But today, I postponed it because someone wanted to take me as a mentor."

If what he says is true, then there's no problem at all.

Even in the game, meeting Gwak Chunshik was only possible in the late stages, so I didn't know he was doing this in Gangwon-do all this time.

It was a moment that explained why Gwak Chunshik was here and receiving such treatment.

"......Then the other elders here must be similar."

Setting up a retirement facility for retired heroes in a secluded place and providing the best services while requesting help when needed...

It seemed like the association had put some thought into it.

And if there's someone in the association who could come up with such an idea...

It must be that person.

"Alright, let's stop the chit-chat and go. They'll come to pick us up soon."

"Understood."

Following Gwak Chunshik out of the mansion, I saw a man in a black suit standing with his arms crossed.

From the ID card around his neck, he seemed to be from the association.

"Teacher! Over here!"

Seeing Gwak Chunshik, he waved and smiled brightly, then flinched and trembled when he saw me behind him.

At the same time, a transparent quest window appeared in front of me.

......Huh? Why is this popping up here?

"Um...... Teacher. May I ask who the person behind you is?"

To the association employee's question, Gwak Chunshik casually put his hand on my shoulder and answered.

"My disciple."

......It seems he's saying that because he can't take me to such an unofficial event as a mentor and mentee.

I also understood his intention and just nodded, but the look in Gwak Chunshik's eyes was not one of pride but of a victor's smile.

Well, is acknowledging me as a disciple that satisfying for him.......

The association employee, seeing his smile, nodded and approached us.

"To be the teacher's disciple, you must be a future great hero. I look forward to working with you."

"I look forward to working with you too."

As I smiled and shook hands, the association employee also smiled and grabbed me and Gwak Chunshik with his left and right hands.

From the badge on his chest, he seemed to be a state-certified spatial mage.

It seems the handshake was for teleporting us.

"From now on, you will be heading to a newly formed dungeon in Odaesan National Park. There are association employees stationed nearby, so you can go straight to the raid. And as for the disciple...... With Gwak Chunshik next to him, there's no need to worry too much."

Indeed, being next to that old man would make the dungeon safe no matter what we did.

"Then, I will teleport you right away. Have a safe trip."

With that, the scenery flipped.

* * *

"Anyway, this spatial magic is all good, but it makes my stomach churn after teleporting."

Immediately after teleporting, Gwak Chunshik grimaced while rubbing his stomach.

"Isn't that because you're getting old?"

At that, he looked at me with a squint and shouted.

"I've always had severe motion sickness! Do you think I enjoy being motion sick!"

"Yes. Good luck."

"Anyway, these young folks these days....... Grunt!"

Or maybe he should just say no instead of making it sound real.

Realizing that continuing to talk with me would only hurt himself, Gwak Chunshik eventually gave up on the conversation and took the first step.

Through the trees in the direction he was heading, I could see a simply set-up camp.

As we approached, two men came out of the tent.

"We've been waiting for you, Teacher."

"The dungeon?"

"Yes, it formed inside this cave and is rated C-class. Judging by the few kobolds that came out, it seems to be a kobold dungeon."

"Alright then. I'll finish it quickly and be back."

"Thank you. But, the young man behind you..."

"Damned disciple."

"Ah... Yes."

The man who was smiling and calling him a disciple just a moment ago was now clicking his tongue and calling him a 'damned disciple'.

Anyway, not all heroes have a broad mind, I tell you.

"Let's go, Master."

"Sh, shall we? Watch and learn from behind me. Ahem."

And yet, when I called him Master, he happily took the lead again.

...In the end, just words alone make him this happy, it's really easy, I tell you.

The dungeon we entered following Gwak Chunshik had all the features that kobolds would love.

It was connected deep underground, dark and damp, with narrow passages that were easy to defend.

But being this cautious about their habitat also indicated that their group was weak.

"Do you know what the trait of kobolds is?"

While we were walking side by side in silence, Gwak Chunshik spoke to me first.

"Their trait, you mean? They dig well, have highly developed senses of smell, and extremely dislike intruders in their habitat, something like that?"

"Yes, yes, that's it. But do you have any guesses as to why these kobolds aren't attacking us?"

As soon as we entered the dungeon, Gwak Chunshik tried to test me again.

Here, I decided to surprise him a bit.

"Well, isn't it because you killed all the kobolds that were lying in ambush on the floor as you walked?"

"...You noticed that?"

"Didn't I tell you my talent isn't ordinary?"

Actually, when we first entered the dungeon, I didn't know.

I was just wondering why I couldn't see any kobolds.

But as we moved forward little by little, I realized that kobolds were lying in ambush on the floor because I felt fear from places where I shouldn't have felt any emotions.

I also noticed that each time Gwak Chunshik took a step, one of those fearful entities disappeared.

"So, does that mean you can now use aura to scan your surroundings?"

"Something like that. Though I don't know how you're killing the kobolds."

"Is that so? Hmm, then it would be best to learn the basics step by step."

"But how do you kill the ones on the floor? From behind, it just looked like you were walking with your hands behind your back."

"Hmm, this? It's nothing special."

As he said that, Gwak Chunshik lifted his foot to show the sole of his shoe.

There was blue aura on the sole of his old shoes.

"I just set it up like this and walk around, and when I sense them, I extend the aura like shooting thorns. Like this."

Pshh!

With a sound, a thorn shot up from the sole to just below the ceiling.

And then the aura naturally returned to the sole.

Although I didn't fully understand aura, I could immediately tell how incredible the technique unfolding before my eyes was.

"This will be a bit difficult for you to do now, so let's start by trying to shape the aura. Can you feel anything beyond that corner over there?"

"Yes, it seems like there's a large cavern, roughly 50 or so."

Gwak Chunshik nodded as if my answer was correct and smiled.

"This is your first lesson. Clear them out without using a weapon. But you must never let them touch your bare body."

"...Yes?"

Thud, an aura-made hand enveloped me.

And then.

"Ah."

"Then, let's start."

"...Damn it."

This time too, my body flew.