“Our team’s rules are simple. Inside the Gate, obey my words.”
Completely opposite to the soft voice with appropriate pitch, the content was rigid to the extreme.
“Anyone planning to act alone, act rashly, or disobey, leave now. I’ll speak well to the professor.”
The words “speak well” to the professor probably weren’t a misunderstanding that they meant “well” in a bad direction.
It was also a talent if talent to make the atmosphere in the room freeze coldly with just a few words. He had a feeling the Gate practicum would be rough even before starting. All the other team members also had faces that seemed to be thinking similar thoughts.
Nevertheless, during the few seconds of silence that passed, everyone just watched each other, but no one left their seat.
“I’ll take it that everyone agreed.”
Moon Woo-shin, who stood up from his chair, personally distributed the bundle of papers he’d had beside him one copy at a time.
“Memorize and familiarize yourselves with all the team members’ abilities by today.”
On the paper, each team member’s rank and ability, utilization range or conditions, etc. were written in detail.
6 Espers and 2 Guides. Among them, only Seo Hae-il was a second-year, and there was one more S-rank Esper. Excluding the three including Moon Woo-shin, the rest were all A-rank.
“Before entering the first Gate is natural, and even after entry, we’ll conduct mock training every time between practicums. There are no exceptions, so tell me your personal schedules now.”
There was no blockage at all in the attitude of collecting every team member’s class schedule and even private schedules without exception to set the timetable, and explaining even the already prepared first mock training plan.
He seemed to have a very planning-oriented disposition.
It became even clearer from the mock training that started from the very next day.
While training proceeded in a training room artificially made similar to a Gate, Moon Woo-shin consistently showed beyond being planning-oriented to even being controlling.
- Reports should be quick and accurate. Move only as instructed, only as much as instructed.
The voice flowing through the earpiece was resolute and concise. Even when variables briefly appeared in the middle, he only gave precise instructions in a calm voice. He seemed like someone who had never experienced something called flustering in his life, or who had already considered all those variables.
Throughout the training, Moon Woo-shin guided the team members on the most efficient path, and following his instructions, there was never a single instance of failure or delay.
‘Is this what flowing smoothly like water means?’
Hae-il was experiencing this kind of mock training for the first time, and he preferred methods of resolving things according to the situation each time rather than following what was set. Even so, it was to the extent that he could easily notice Moon Woo-shin was quite good.
Before the next training started, a brief break time.
“Good work!”
Hae-il greeted first and picked up the water bottles placed in one corner. After catching his breath, he approached Moon Woo-shin first and politely offered it.
“Senior, here’s water.”
“I never told you to do this kind of thing.”
“Of course I should do it. I’m the youngest.”
He smiled and held out the hand holding the bottle closer, but Moon Woo-shin just stared blankly without even a gesture of receiving it. His eyes looked very unenthusiastic.
If you don’t want to take it, fine.
Hae-il, who took the water bottle back into his arms as if nothing happened, naturally brought up something else.
“Senior, I have a question, earlier at the beginning of training….”
“Later.”
However, Moon Woo-shin, who cut him off with one stroke, plucked out one water bottle from Hae-il’s arms and turned around.
“Rest until 10 minutes.”
After speaking to everyone, he walked with long strides and left the training ground just like that.
If you were going to take it anyway, why not accept it when I offered, what’s with snatching it belatedly? It seemed his personality was definitely strange.
Watching Moon Woo-shin’s back moving away, Hae-il, who was only bewildered internally, approached the remaining team members and handed out water in turn.
“Seniors, please have some water.”
“Thanks. Though it’s after Moon Woo-shin senior who was far away…”
“Ah, it’s because Moon Woo-shin senior is the team leader, so I gave it to him first.”
“Our youngest has a firm grasp on the hierarchy, very much so.”
He’d already become quite comfortable with the other team members. A few conversations were enough to build appropriate familiarity like this, but only Moon Woo-shin was difficult.
While conversing warmly yet working his brain, Hae-il casually brought up the training topic.
“By the way, is training originally this smooth?”
It was an intention to obtain even small information or hints about Moon Woo-shin.
“Ah, this is your very first time, right?”
“Yes.”
“First of all, this is the first time for me that mock training ended this quickly.”
“Moon Woo-shin senior definitely leads well. There’s nothing wrong.”
“The analysis data just came up too. We shortened it by an hour more than other teams. Just looking at this should give you a sense?”
Most team members’ answers were consistent. On the 1st mock training analysis data that appeared on the tablet screen, the A-1 Team was occupying the top line in all indicators.
Whether subjective evaluation or objective indicators, it meant outstanding in any view.
As expected, the vulgar ambition that he absolutely had to build connections with Moon Woo-shin regardless of his personality only grew stronger.
Hae-il spoke to Jang Yun-seo, a fourth-year who seemed to have some acquaintance with Moon Woo-shin among the team members.
“Were you on the same team last year too, senior?”
“Yeah. Woo-shin was the team leader last year too. He’s been famous since second year. They say a kid entering a Gate for the first time is like stagnant water that’s been going in and out for 5 years.”
A third-year becoming team leader was a truly exceptional thing. Just as Hae-il, who became interested, was about to ask in more detail.
Another fourth-year who was a bit away, Kim Jin-ho, suddenly butted in.
“Hey, Jang Yun-seo. Why are you praising him so much again, making the innocent second-year misunderstand. Is it doing well to just push only his opinions and make only the results look good? Last year too, because of that bastard’s personality, he only got cursed at for insubordination.”
The atmosphere became chilly at the sarcastic voice. He’d been quiet alone, so it seems he doesn’t get along well with Moon Woo-shin.
Hae-il, who briefly read the room, smiled gently and tried to change the topic.
“It seems I brought up an unnecessary topic. It’s almost been 10 minutes, so let’s stop now….”
“Stop what, now that it’s come up, you should know properly too. This is absolutely not doing well, you know? A Guide should be Guide-like, what kind of Guide only does radiant guiding while going around Gates?”
Whatever it was, the words increasingly crossed the line, as if there was a lot built up personally. Hae-il’s expression also gradually hardened.
“Senior. Let’s stop.”
“Acting all high and mighty because everyone just lifts him up saying he’s a precious S-rank.”
Even though he was being stopped, Kim Jin-ho didn’t care and blathered on, fuming by himself. Hae-il, who was about to cut off his words, momentarily hesitated.
“I am on the arrogant side.”
Moon Woo-shin, who had returned soundlessly at some point, was standing at the doorway in a crooked posture. His arms crossed and expressionless face seemed at a glance like a person listening to someone else’s story.
When their eyes met, he undid his posture and walked over with long strides, narrowing the distance.
“But Jin-ho. At least I have a rank, what do you trust to be arrogant?”
The tone calling his name was affectionate, and his peaceful face was also similar to usual. Though the actual content was very far from affection.
Reaching right next to Hae-il, he stretched out his hand and snatched Kim Jin-ho’s wrist. The smart watch that Espers and Guides always had to wear mandatorily was revealed.
The number that appeared large in the center of the screen was the guiding index. Moon Woo-shin kindly recited that figure, visible to everyone standing nearby, with precise pronunciation.
“92 percent. If you have eyes, look, Jin-ho. I filled it all up with just radiant guiding, without any problems. But you. If you received and ate up guiding saying it was good, at least be worth that price. If your ability can’t follow, at least listen to what’s said.”
Throughout the somewhat slow voice continuing, Kim Jin-ho tried hard to shake off the caught hand while putting in enough strength to make his face redden. In contrast, Moon Woo-shin with his peaceful face didn’t even budge.
“Let go of this, you bastard.”
“Right, I don’t want to hold it longer either since I’m unpleasant.”
Only then did Moon Woo-shin throw away the wrist as if tossing it, take out a handkerchief from his pocket, and meticulously wipe his hand.
