Revenge with the Power of the Final Boss-Chapter 87: Encounter in Class (2)

As Kim Ho-jun slowly approached, Baek Seo-jin felt as though time itself had begun to slow down. Every step Kim Ho-jun took felt deliberate, each one radiating a suffocating pressure.

Nervously, Baek Seo-jin swallowed hard, bracing himself for the inevitable attack.

However, instead of striking immediately, Kim Ho-jun spoke lightly, almost casually.

"Class begins now."

[Class has started. Confront your enemy.]

[Your performance against the enemy will determine your grade.]

The words that appeared in midair, accompanied by Kim Ho-jun’s declaration, felt like mockery to Baek Seo-jin.

After going to the trouble of orchestrating this elaborate setup with the intent to harm them, to call it a mere “lesson” was an insult.

"Unforgivable!" Baek Seo-jin roared.

He decided to trust in his abilities. Through this fierce battle, he would break past his limits and grow stronger. Losing was not an option. It never could be.

If I lose, everyone will be in danger!

He thought of the people he had to protect:

Seomun Ye-jin, the woman he loved.

Han Se-hee and Lee Ha-yeon, the women who loved him.

His treasured comrades, Kim Chul-woo, Park Sun-hoo, and Bae Ye-rim.

His beloved parents.

And beyond them, all the others who might one day fall victim to Kim Ho-jun’s schemes.

To protect everyone, I cannot lose!

Even if it meant sacrificing his own life, Baek Seo-jin was determined to take down Kim Ho-jun.

With a low hum, the sword in Baek Seo-jin’s hands began to glow as he infused it with mana, the blade becoming an extension of his resolve.

Cut through. Burn fiercely. Freeze coldly. Strike strongly. And harmonize it all.

Pouring every ounce of his will into the blade, Baek Seo-jin unleashed the specialized swordsmanship of the Baekho Guild, tailored exclusively for mana awakeners.

"Haaah!" he cried out, channeling his focus into a single decisive blow.

It had to be a one-hit kill. Anything less, and he would only be toyed with and ultimately slaughtered by this SSS-class hunter. With Kim Ho-jun off guard, now was the moment to strike with his strongest attack!

The fear of death and the weight of betting everything on a single attack sent shivers down his spine. But he pushed through, fueled by thoughts of the people he needed to protect.

Time seemed to slow further, every heartbeat stretching into an eternity. In that fleeting moment, Baek Seo-jin realized something profound.

I’ve surpassed my limits.

Through sheer will to survive, he had finally broken past the barrier that had held him back. He had stepped into the realm of SSS-class hunters—a place that had always seemed just out of reach.

"I can do this!"

For the first time, he felt hope surging within him. He could defeat Kim Ho-jun.

Yet there was no time to savor the joy of his breakthrough. He had to focus every bit of his newfound power and resolve into this strike.

"Die!"

Without even the luxury of shouting a battle cry, Baek Seo-jin’s blade descended. In that instant, he noticed Kim Ho-jun’s eerily calm gaze, but he didn’t allow it to distract him.

This was the moment. He would kill Kim Ho-jun, free Seomun Ye-jin, and escape this place.

The vision of freedom and victory filled his mind. He imagined running to Seomun Ye-jin as soon as he escaped, confessing his feelings, and proposing to her.

Fueled by that hope, his strike carried the weight of everything he sought to protect.

With a deafening crash, the blow struck its target, sending an overwhelming shockwave rippling through the area.

***

"Ugh!"

A massive surge of mana clashed, creating a violent storm that swept through the area.

The sheer aftermath of the collision was enough to force Park Sun-hoo, an S-class hunter, to envelop himself in mana for protection. Even so, the intensity of the clash sent shivers down his spine.

Being highly attuned to mana as an S-class hunter, Park Sun-hoo could sense the two opposing forces that had just collided. The power Baek Seo-jin had unleashed was far beyond what he would classify as SS-class.

Did he just break through here?

The realization struck him: whether Baek Seo-jin had just surpassed the wall or had already broken through it before this moment, he had undoubtedly entered the realm of SSS-class hunters. It was an extraordinary feat, one that left Park Sun-hoo in awe.

The person I chose to follow really is incredible, he thought, marveling at Baek Seo-jin’s potential.

But his admiration was cut short as his eyes and senses registered Baek Seo-jin’s current condition.

"Seo-jin!" he called out in alarm.

"Urgh... krrgh!"

What greeted him was the sight of Baek Seo-jin lying on the ground, bloodied and battered.

***

I lost.

The thought struck Baek Seo-jin like a hammer as he collapsed, glaring weakly at Kim Ho-jun.

He wanted to push himself to his feet, to resist just a little longer, but his legs wouldn’t obey him. His body refused to rise.

"It’s over," Kim Ho-jun said, his voice mechanical and devoid of emotion.

Baek Seo-jin gritted his teeth, wanting to shout at him to shut up, but even that effort was beyond him.

It ends like this?

Despair settled heavily in his chest. He couldn’t believe he had failed.

Ye-jin noona...

He hadn’t been able to save Seomun Ye-jin.

Without him, there was no doubt that Kim Ho-jun would target the others: Han Se-hee and Lee Ha-yeon, the women who loved him.

Would he do the same to them as he did to Ye-jin?

Baek Seo-jin’s mind raced with horrifying images of Kim Ho-jun abusing Se-hee and Ha-yeon, forcing them into servitude as he had planned with Ye-jin. After breaking them, he would likely silence anyone who knew the truth.

Park Sun-hoo, who stood here now, would surely be next.

"Seo-jin!"

Baek Seo-jin saw Park Sun-hoo rushing to his side, desperation in his every move. The twin blades in Sun-hoo’s hands sent mana-infused slashes hurtling toward Kim Ho-jun.

Yet, Kim Ho-jun deflected them all with ease. His blade moved with terrifying precision, rendering Sun-hoo’s desperate attacks useless.

"Aaaaah!"

A shockwave from Kim Ho-jun’s counterattack knocked Park Sun-hoo to the ground, his scream echoing through the room.

Watching Sun-hoo fall, Baek Seo-jin felt a wave of helplessness. He was convinced his friend would meet the same fate as him.

"Remaining time: 40 minutes. Baek Seo-jin and Park Sun-hoo will receive healing and wait for further instructions."

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The sudden announcement, paired with Kim Ho-jun’s mana flaring to life, stunned Baek Seo-jin.

Instead of finishing them off, Kim Ho-jun used restorative mana, healing their wounds rapidly. The pain and injuries faded as their bodies mended, leaving both men able to stand once more.

"What are you up to?"

The moment he regained his strength, Baek Seo-jin pointed his sword at Kim Ho-jun, demanding answers. But Kim Ho-jun offered no response.

Instead, his figure began to blur, fading from view entirely.

[Class dismissed. Remaining time: 39 minutes and 28 seconds. Await further instructions here until the end of the session.]

The disembodied announcement left Baek Seo-jin and Park Sun-hoo standing in silence, confusion etched on their faces.

"What just happened?" Sun-hoo finally asked.

"He’s not killing us?"

Baek Seo-jin’s mind raced. Had he been wrong? Was this not a scheme to secretly eliminate them under the guise of a class exercise?

No, there’s no way. He must have some other plan.

Deciding it was too early to let his guard down, Baek Seo-jin vowed to stay vigilant. Whatever Kim Ho-jun had in mind, he wasn’t done yet.

***

"Gaaahhh!"

The fake Baek Seo-jin, a mere imitation of his form, let out a pained scream as he was sent flying.

Lee Ha-yeon's laser attack had exploded upon impact, shattering the barrier he had erected and hurling him away with the force of the blast.

As the fake Baek Seo-jin was flung back, he swung his sword wildly, unleashing mana-infused slashes with mixed elemental properties aimed at Lee Ha-yeon.

But Lee Ha-yeon didn’t even need to worry about defense.

The barrier Han Se-hee had deployed easily absorbed and neutralized the fake's attacks, allowing Ha-yeon to focus entirely on her offense.

"Even if it’s not the real one, it still feels amazing to beat up that bastard! It’s so satisfying!"

Lee Ha-yeon wore a delighted expression as she relentlessly attacked the being that looked like Baek Seo-jin. Watching her friend’s enthusiasm, Han Se-hee couldn’t help but laugh.

She completely understood Ha-yeon’s feelings.

Moments ago, both women had been reaffirming their love as Baek Seo-jun’s wives, sharing an intimate and passionate moment with him. That bond had only deepened their mutual disdain for Baek Seo-jin.

Even though they had relieved some of their stress during their time with Seo-jun, their hatred for Baek Seo-jin remained intact and unshaken.

"Urghh!"

The fake Baek Seo-jin tried to counterattack again, but this time, Lee Ha-yeon was faster.

Streams of radiant light shot out from her, moving so quickly that they became imperceptible blurs as they sliced through the air. Splitting into dozens of smaller beams, they swirled like guided missiles before converging on their target.

Each beam struck true, piercing through the fake Baek Seo-jin’s body in multiple places.

"Aaaaargh!"

His agonized screams echoed as he collapsed to the ground.

Though she had been concealing her true abilities at Kangin Academy, Lee Ha-yeon had already achieved the rank of an SSS-class hunter the previous year.

She had deliberately kept her grades lower, finishing as the academy's runner-up, to assist Baek Seo-jun in his quest for revenge. Her actual power had long surpassed Baek Seo-jin’s.

If it weren’t for Seo-jun-nim’s plans for vengeance, I wouldn’t have let him be.

Even without her connection to Baek Seo-jun, Lee Ha-yeon despised Baek Seo-jin.

His resemblance to Baek Seo-jun, combined with the atrocities he committed, made her loathe him to her core. And even if he hadn’t committed those crimes, she doubted she could ever have liked someone like him.

"This class is actually pretty entertaining," Lee Ha-yeon mused to herself.

Advancing through this simulation, encountering enemies that took the form of the person one most wanted to defeat—it was an ingenious concept.

She guessed that for Baek Seo-jin, the opponent must have been Baek Seo-jun disguised as Kim Ho-jun. No doubt, Seo-jin would have faced a crushing defeat.

And since the fake opponents didn’t kill their targets, Seo-jin was probably left wallowing in paranoia and delusions by now.