Surviving the Assassin Academy as a Genius Professor-Chapter 5: Dormant Dragon Institute (1)

Dante, the HiakaPo professor, exited the classroom.

Silence settled over the scolded lecture hall.

No one had expected the new professor to walk out without even holding his first class on his very first day.

“......”

“......”

Half-baked professors try to win over cadets.

They want to get close to the cadets, build good relationships, and avoid being assassinated.

Did they come here out of some sense of duty to nurture cadets as proper professors?

They did not.

Everyone who came to the Department of Assassination had one goal: money.

The massive payout for surviving four years, and the research grants that come along with it. Most of them were here for that reason.

And so, most new professors in the Department of Assassination try not to make enemies out of the cadets.

They smile.

They act friendly.

Some even grovel to the cadets.

But Dante was different.

‘Shit... We really just got chewed out, huh......’

Among Forte’s trio, the chubby cadet Dominic pushed up his glasses.

Compared to other professors, there had been a lot more assassination attempts.

Normally, people don’t go this hard on day one of their appointment.

But even considering that, getting scolded for “half-assed assassination attempts” was something no other professor would even imagine.

‘That professor is dead serious about assassination......’

That’s the only way to see it. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Why else would sincere assassinations matter?

Because he holds “assassination” in high regard.

And the cadets failed to meet his standards for that reverence—so he got angry.

‘Come to think of it, we really were treating assassination like it was no big deal.’

The other cadets, too, had a fuzzy feeling in their heads.

Were we taking this whole assassination thing way too lightly...?

That’s when it happened.

“Dumbass.”

Forte, with his auburn hair, sneered. It was aimed at Joaquin, who’d been trembling ever since the professor left.

Joaquin turned his head.

“...What the hell did you just say?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“...Shut your mouth. I swear to God, I’ll kill all three of you.”

Joaquin looked down at the shuriken in his hand.

Since the age of five, he’d been raised under an assassin father, learning concealment and shuriken techniques.

At this point, if the target was within 8 meters, he could hit the wing of a flying fly. That was the distance between him and the professor earlier.

Normally, professors either dodge or wear protective accessories.

‘He deflected the shuriken with the side of his hand. Without even looking.’

“Fucking bastard...”

Just how high was Professor Dante’s level?

And what he said at the end—when he scolded him—was still ringing in Joaquin’s ears.

‘Withdraw from the course, cadet.’

It was humiliating.

Words that made his blood boil and pride go up in flames.

“...Why # Nоvеlight # the hell do I have to take that kind of crap?”

Joaquin shot up from his seat.

“Fine. I’m dropping the class.”

Then he turned around.

“But I’m killing this bastard first!!”

Wham!

His foot slammed into Forte’s face.

“Guh! You motherfucker!”

Crash! Forte tumbled with the desk and chair, then pulled out a handgun.

It was about to spiral into complete chaos.

“Stop it.”

TA Adele stepped in and calmed the fight.

“If you cause a commotion, you’ll both get demerits.”

Joaquin growled but backed off.

Especially for Forte—it was a serious matter. He’d already gotten one demerit that morning. One more and it was expulsion.

“Um, Miss Adele... Are we seriously not having a class today?”

“Yes. It seems the professor won’t be holding one. Attendance will still be counted, though.”

“Okaaay...”

“Cadets, either take some time to understand the new professor’s style or submit your course withdrawal forms. And starting from the next class, please be a little more thoughtful with your assassinations. Honestly, even from my perspective, your attempts were just childish. That’s all~”

Only then did the cadets ease up and get to their feet.

Meanwhile, sitting in a corner seat and staring blankly at the door the professor had exited through, Dormant Dragon Institute cadet Elize tapped on her wrist crystal orb and sent a message.

── Dormant Dragon Institute Group Chat [7 Members] ──

Elize: Guys

Elize: The new professor

Elize: Is insane

───

I holed up in the faculty restroom.

Clutching my pounding heart.

‘That was almost death...’

I almost died, more than once.

I survived thanks to sheer luck.

There was even a lunatic who tried to assassinate me twice in the middle of all that.

Even a few days of this and I’ll have a full-blown nervous breakdown.

‘Why the hell is this so dangerous?’

Even on [Hard Mode], the first real crisis isn’t until week two.

Granted, that’s for cadets. I’m a professor on [Hell Mode], but even accounting for that—four assassination attempts before lunch? That’s overkill.

‘Let’s just be satisfied with surviving today.’

Thanks to that, I got 1,000 Star Fragments.

Though they hadn’t been awarded yet.

‘I have to go home......’

Because the quest is called [First Day of Appointment].

Only when I go home does the first day end and the reward get distributed.

Thankfully, I only had one class today.

‘Let’s go home. Home......’

So I sent a message to TA Adele using my “crystal orb.”

Dante: Where are you.

Adele: Ah, just a second. I’ll head back after submitting the paperwork you entrusted to me.

Let’s head out.

First, I’ll stop by the office and write the class journal......

But then, from the far end of the hallway, I saw a rough-looking female cadet walking straight toward me.

Gray hair and yellow eyes. Heavy makeup. Colorful tattoos all over her body. A short skirt and a cadet uniform altered to the brink of bursting.

And even a mischievous snaggletooth.

She had two other cadets following behind her. But when she spotted me, she approached alone.

Her steps began to quicken. I had a bad feeling.

● Gray – 1st Year, Dormant Dragon Institute

She was a cadet from the Dormant Dragon Institute.

One of only seven 1st-year students from the Department of Assassination granted elite status.

Also, the ones I needed to be most cautious of on [Hell Mode].

As she walked, she reached behind her waist for something.

＊Dagger of Swiftness [Rare]＊

A status window popped up—and my heart dropped.

Wasn’t this a full-on armed assault?

And not just any weapon, but a [Rare]-grade blade—an extremely dangerous knife.

I hurriedly checked the script.

【 1st-Year Dormant Dragon Institute – Gray: ‘Let’s see if the rumors are true?’ 】

Rumors? What kind of rumors were already floating around...?

But there was nothing I could do now.

Even if I wanted to stop her, I had no way to do so.

I couldn’t run, either.

The cadet finally came right up to me.

Her thickly made-up eyes, framed by long lashes, narrowed.

── .

The next moment, something flashed past.

What was that.

No way......

【 1st-Year Dormant Dragon Institute – Gray: ‘Wow. This professor doesn’t even blink?’ 】

That’s when a single strand of hair from my bangs fluttered down.

I realized it too late. She had swung the knife. Just now.

Right in front of my face.

【 Gray has used 『Swift Slash』. 】

Of course. The script listed the skill activation.

......My heart dropped straight to my pelvis.

“Wow, professor, you’re pretty slick.”

“......”

“You’ve got good spatial awareness, huh? I aimed for your head from this close, and you dodged it. How’d you know it wouldn’t hit?”

Compliments delivered in a calm, breezy tone.

What the hell is she talking about? I didn’t even see it coming.

No prep motion, no casting cue, no swing, no recovery—nothing. I hadn’t seen a single part of the skill. Gray had been standing still the entire time, yet my hair had been cut.

Ironically, that seemed to have deceived her into thinking I’d dodged it on purpose.

“......”

The cadets behind her muttered, “Whoa...” as my heart pounded wildly. It felt like my lifespan was being shaved down in real time.

I quickly recalled the name I’d looked up earlier in the faculty files.

“Gray Habanero.”

A genius ranked among the top even among the monstrous assassins of [Hell Mode].

“Oh? You know me?”

“......It’s not class time right now.”

Gray tilted her head with a hazy smile.

“Hello. I’m Gray Habanero from the 1st-year Dormant Dragon Institute. I take a different lecture, but I heard rumors about you today.”

“......”

“There are rumors going around inside Dormant Dragon. Usually the professors here suck, but the new one might be different, they say. If you don’t mind, could you spare a moment? I have a suggestion related to Dormant Dragon Institute.”

Her red lips curled, and a snaggletooth poked out playfully.

She licked her lower lip like a cat lazily flicking its tongue.

“What kind of suggestion?”

“Follow me and I’ll tell you. Come on.”

She suddenly grabbed my hand.

I was a little startled. What’s with the sudden grab?

I pulled my hand back.

“......?”

Gray looked back at me with a grin.

Unbelievable. I need to go home. What’s this girl planning by dragging me off somewhere?

Common sense says I can’t just turn her down. Since this game’s setting revolves around cadets killing professors, the Dormant Dragon Institute—home to the strongest cadets—is surely tied to the main story.

However...... I know what matters most to me.

Right now, I’m nothing special, and inwardly, I’m scared out of my mind.

But I must not become the kind of professor who lets a child with superior abilities bark orders at him without appointment or etiquette, just because she’s strong.

If I let them walk all over me, I will absolutely be assassinated later.

So what matters most to me right now is one thing:

“I refuse.”

Authority.

“......Huh?”

“If you have a request, submit a formal interview application through TA Adele in my office.”

Gray’s subtle smile slowly faded.

One eye narrowed, like she couldn’t understand.

“......Why? Is it because I just tried to test you?”

“That’s not it.”

“If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize. But can’t you just come with me? It’s just a nice business talk, you know?”

“You’re repeating yourself now.”

“......”

A thought surfaced in the script.

【 1st-Year Dormant Dragon Institute – Gray: ‘What the...? Why is he refusing?’ 】

【 1st-Year Dormant Dragon Institute – Gray: ‘I don’t get it. This professor...’ 】

Gray brushed her tattooed hand through her bangs. Her expression had stiffened slightly.

“......Fine. Do whatever you want.”

She turned away.

“Wait.”

I had refused her, yes. But now it was time to do what I should.

Gray, not knowing my intentions, looked back like she’d expected this all along.

“Hm?”

Her pale white brow furrowed at my next words.

“Penalties are given to those who violate the school rules.”

“......What?”

“You attempted an assassination outside of class hours. That means you’ll be punished.”

The carefree look vanished from Gray’s eyes, replaced with shock. Her expression said, Why the hell are you telling me that?

But I make no exceptions.

“You will be assigned 0.5 demerit points.”

I held out my hand.

“The dagger will be confiscated.”