EX rank supporting role’s replay in a prestigious school - Chapter 848 - Boundary

Maeng Hyodon knew about the Prospective Youth Player Support Center near Tanrae Middle School.

All Tanrae Middle School students with special abilities went to that place.

Of course, except him.

‘I almost went there before too.’

Through a school-administered test, it was confirmed that Maeng Hyodon had special abilities, and so he was recommended to attend the support center right from his freshman year.

It was an invitation in words, but in reality, it was no different from coercion. 

The school sometimes strongly encourages students to participate in external activities, and although it wasn’t an official school-related activity, encouragement to attend the support center was the same.

Going to the center would let students learn how to use their abilities and are given items.

There are many benefits even though it doesn’t cost anything, so even the students forced to go there had no complaints.

‘I wanted to go at first too.’

Maeng Hyodon’s biological father told him not to go, saying that he had a strange feeling about it.

The truth was, his father was afraid that it would cost money later on even though it was free at the onset.

Maeng Hyodon being away from home would also mean that no one would take care of his errands for him and cook him food.

The teachers tried to persuade Maeng Hyodon’s father, but they couldn’t communicate with the tight-lipped deadbeat.

Instead, they were criticized and cursed at.

The teachers tried to pressure him through a home visit, but they were harshly treated, and Maeng Hyodon’s father took out his frustrations on him.

— It’s like father, like son. I understand how important the environment at home is.

Maeng Hyodon’s freshman homeroom teacher seems to have been broken by his superiors.

Schools are pressured to send prospective players to support centers because otherwise, it would seem like they weren’t taking care of the student.

But gradually, Maeng Hyodon’s opinion also changed.

Since he couldn’t attend the Prospective Youth Player Support Center due to his father’s opposition, the students who attended the center formed a faction to ostracize him.

Those who previously felt inferior to Maeng Hyodon suddenly changed now that they had a one-up against him, especially since they were supported by their parents.

‘Then I started joining competitions, and the thought of attending the support center left my mind…’

Maeng Hyodon’s father was very happy with him participating in competitions.

As long as his son competed and got good results, he could swindle the prize money to buy alcohol and gamble.

His father would be less harsh whenever he’d bring home money, so Maeng Hyodon also liked it to some extent.

Even so, the support center still tried to persuade him and promised to get rid of the faction that bullied him.

Too tired from dealing with his father, Maeng Hyodon paid no attention to them.

It was Maeng Hyodon’s teacher in his third year of middle school who took Maeng Hyodon’s situation seriously and found the best way forward.

“Did Hyodon attend that support center?”

“No, he probably never went. There’s no obligation to attend since the center’s curriculum isn’t part of the school’s regular education. Besides, Hyodon was always busy preparing for competitions.”

When Joo Soohyuk asked, the teacher’s answer flowed like water.

He’s probably used to saying something like that every time someone asked and pressured him about the matter.

Come to think of it, someone from the center tried to intervene while that teacher was in charge of Maeng Hyodon, coming in with nothing short of threat and appeasement.

Maeng Hyodon had no idea, but his teacher shielded him from that.

Joo Soohyuk continued to ask.

“Did all the prospective players from Tanrae Middle School attend that center?”

“As far as I know, all the kids except Hyodon went there.”

“How many students went on to player-special high schools other than Hyodon?”

Teachers naturally know which school their students go to, but remembering such information for every student is impossible.

However, the middle school teacher answered without hesitation.

“Less than five people, including Hyodon.”

The teacher investigated in detail the entrance exam results of Tanrae Middle School students while he was helping Maeng Hyodon enter Eungwang High.

The teacher accurately named the schools that the graduates went to.

Although they attended specialized high schools, they fell far short of the cutoff score for Eungwang High.

Their schools also focused on item production rather than combat.

“Tanrae has been open for several decades, but the student population is extremely small. The support center’s population would make you think that there are a lot of young students with special abilities, but…”

It wasn’t just Tanrae Middle School.

Although there are a fair number of students born with special abilities, only a few of them go to special high schools and grow up to be strong players.

There have been two exceptions so far.

One was Maeng Hyodon, and the other was a current student of the middle school teacher.

In the case of the latter, the child seems outstanding enough to advance to Eungwang High.

The child was so exceptional that even the middle school teacher realized that something strange was happening and took action.

‘There must be something strange about that support center.’

He didn’t know specifically what Joo Soohyuk found out, but Maeng Hyodon had a rough idea.

The others seemed to have realized something just from the conversation so far.

Joo Soohyuk’s face darkened in particular with every mention of the support center, while Kim Chul looked like he had guessed something.

“We have to get out of here quickly. The group behind this incident is bigger than I thought. They must’ve been planning this for a very long time. Targeting Hyodon is probably a means to their end, which means they’re preparing to do something even more terrible.”

Jing…

Joo Soohyuk said so as he activated his Clairvoyance skill and looked into the distance.

The current plan is to clear the garden, but Joo Soohyuk seemed as if he was looking at the darkness behind it all.

Seeing Joo Soohyuk look into the distance reminded Maeng Hyodon of Jo Euishin.

There were times when Jo Euishin would look like that.

Perhaps Jo Euishin had already figured it out and had been targeting the dark side behind this from a long time ago.

‘I can’t be like them.’

Maeng Hyodon thought calmly.

Joo Soohyuk and Jo Euishin are talented people famous for studying well at Eungwang High, but they also had knowledge, wisdom, and insight that went beyond their studies.

Maeng Hyodon, who had a hard time with high school math and couldn’t even understand half of the conversation, was helpless.

Still, there was something that could be done.

‘If it comes to fighting, then I…!”

Since he couldn’t do anything with his head, Maeng Hyodon decided to deal with things with his body.

He raised his entire body’s energy wave and sense.

Joo Soohyuk’s Clairvoyance can see things from a great distance, but it isn’t absolute.

His skill was similar to looking at a specific place through a telescope.

Although he can see an area up close and in detail, the area is limited to the range illuminated by the lens.

Joo Soohyuk was used to using his skill which means could quickly change designated areas to secure as wide a field of view as possible, but blind spots are always a given.

Maeng Hyodon heard of this back on Christmas Eve when they worked together.

Although he didn’t have a skill like Clairvoyance, Maeng Hyodon had sharp senses honed by his combat experience, so he was sensitive to energies targetting him.

He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as if a sharp needle was digging into his body.

‘Something is coming.’

The garden was full of clouds and fog.

The area that Joo Soohyuk surveyed was covered with them.

Maeng Hyodon realized that something was approaching them from a place that Joo Soohyuk wasn’t looking at.

From below the ground.

“Step back!”

Everyone reacted to Maeng Hyodon’s shout, taking a big step back from where they stood.

At that moment, the floor they were standing on began to crack.

Guguguuu!

The players quickly avoided it, but the middle school teacher faltered, unable to move as nimbly as the players.

“Ah…”

The teacher fell as if dragged through the collapsed floor.

Maeng Hyodon was the first to react and rushed towards the teacher.

“Teacher!”

Maeng Hyodon managed to catch his teacher, but the ground where he set his foot began to collapse.

He grabbed the teacher’s hand and quickly tried to run towards another platform.

However, he was out of balance and couldn’t easily run.

Grrr!

An enemy appeared when the floor collapsed.

As if it was created after the collapse, they couldn’t detect the enemy until it released energy waves.

The enemy, who looked like it was wearing armor made of rocks, swung its long arms towards Maeng Hyodon.

‘It’s coming after me!’

Maeng Hyodon found it difficult to react.

One wrong move and he might lose the teacher.

Paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong decision, Maeng Hyodon couldn’t move as the enemy’s arm flew toward him.

Gwaaang!

“How dare you come after my student!”

It’s a wonder how he launched such power even on unstable footing, but Tak Geosan’s strike threw the enemy’s arms away.

But it had another one.

The next attack was coming while the floor continued to collapse, leading them to an endless area.

“Hyodon-ah!”

Joo Soohyuk, who stood on relatively stable ground, stretched out his hand towards Maeng Hyodon.

As soon as he saw the extended arm, Maeng Hyodon immediately jumped.

Fwabak!

The force from Maeng Hyodon’s jump made all the surrounding scaffolding shatter and scatter.

He was able to reach Joo Soohyuk while his other hand gripped his teacher.

At that moment…

Fwiijik!

“Ahk!”

“Geuh…!”

As soon as Joo Soohyuk and Maeng Hyodon’s hands touched, a strong spark erupted, repulsing the two young students away from each other.

Maeng Hyodon was shocked as he looked at Joo Soohyuk’s hand moving farther away as if he had been pushed back by an unknown force.

“Our energy waves are repelling each other!”

The opponent seemed to have used a special ability to prevent them from trying to hold each other.

‘My teacher would fall at this rate! No, wait. Only the energy waves repel each other.’

The middle school teacher had no special abilities.

Maeng Hyodon put strength into the hand that held the teacher.

“Hyodon-ah…! If you do that…!”

The teacher’s eyes widened when he realized what Maeng Hyodon was going to do.

“Joo Soohyuk, catch!”

Hwik!

Maeng Hyodon threw the teacher to Joo Soohyuk, the recoil accelerating his fall.

Tak Geosan screamed something as he dealt with the enemy, but he couldn’t hear him clearly.

Only after confirming that Joo Soohyuk safely caught his teacher did Maeng Hyodon feel relief.

He knew that he was falling right into a trap, but he was determined to fight.

As he prepared to land, Maeng Hyodon entered into a fighting stance midair.