“Ah! Is that you, Seojung High’s Teacher?”
“Heh heh. Nice to see you, Haeun High’s Teacher. Oh, are you now a platoon leader? Heh heh heh!”
From the battalion side, a platoon leader and one other; from Seojung High’s side, three. A total of five teachers secretly established contact.
From the beginning, the teachers weren’t really interested in this lesson. They intended to take a brief rest and then return diligently.
Lesson? Nonsense.
Just as Lee Sunghwa predicted, it was nothing more than an image game for the adults.
A little thought would make the answer clear.
Even the teachers who had successfully negotiated couldn’t use the deeper parts of the bank as their stage. They wouldn’t recklessly share their location information in a place where trust and support are vital.
The moment they considered the bank as the stage, the title of the joint first aid lesson was pretty much gone. They would merely wander aimlessly on the first floor.
“Heh heh heh.”
They confirmed that all the students had entered the bank.
The students were left to the bank, while the responsible teachers could leisurely pass the time.
“Heh heh. Teachers, shall we give some scores now?”
One of the teachers from Seojung High’s side already suggested scoring.
“Seojung High’s Teacher, is it okay to score when nothing has been done yet?”
“Heh heh heh! It’s fine! Just do it roughly. Just score based on the students who usually perform well. Honestly, how do you train in a bank?”
“Indeed. Are we learning a lot from this? Ha ha ha ha!”
Military slang, ‘fudging the numbers’.
Avoiding what you should do because you’re lazy, and instead, manipulating things.
The platoon leader was already an exemplary soldier.
“Heh heh heh heh!! I’m glad that everyone on the battalion side is cheerful. Are you all done?”
“Ah! Seojung High’s Teachers, have you already finished? Please wait for just 5 minutes.”
Scribble scribble.
Kim Seyun and the squad leaders got an A, the other soldiers received a B, and only Park Jin-sung got an F.
The 10th platoon leader, who was indiscriminately marking everyone with a B, eventually grouped them all and labeled them as B, seemingly out of laziness.
“Platoon leaders, let’s have a cup of coffee. Heh heh. I know an amazing cafe.”
“Oh! As expected from Seojung High’s Teacher. I’ll make sure to learn a lot as the 10th platoon leader.”
“Heh heh heh heh!! Are all the battalion folks always this cheerful? Ah! Great! I’ll treat you all! Let’s go!”
The teachers who had finished grading slowly got into their vehicles.
* * *
“It’s tedious just standing by the door.”
“Want to play rock-paper-scissors to see who goes to buy something to eat?”
The 2nd squad positioned in front of the bank’s main entrance was getting bored.
If there’s a certainty that something won’t happen 100%, it loses its value.
The bank isn’t going to be attacked. Meaning, there’s no need to be here.
It’s pointless. If it’s meaningless, then laziness isn’t just laziness. It becomes extreme negligence.
From the main entrance, a peculiar group that didn’t fit the surroundings approached. The 2nd squad members, who were supposed to be on the lookout, curiously watched them like fools.
“Huh? Who’s coming?”
“Wow, look at their outfits. Some kind of cosplay group?”
“Where? Are they outside?”
“Ah, students!”
A security guard who happened to look towards the entrance shouted at the young squad members. Contrary to the guard’s intention, the squad members just stared at him.
“Huh? Security guard?”
“Students!! Behind! Look behind!!”
“What…?”
Ziiip!
It was a huge sword, with all its teeth bared out. When raised, it was so long that it could touch the ceiling, and the blade looked exactly like a shark’s teeth.
The weapon, almost too enormous to be called a great sword, was aimed at the members of the 2nd squad.
Its appearance was somewhat surreal.
That’s why the 2nd squad members didn’t feel much threat. They stood dazed, witnessing the approaching doom.
“Watch out! [Wooden Tonfa!]”
Thwoooom!!
One of the security guards, more accustomed to real-life situations, barely shielded the squad members. For them, his entrance was like a heroic savior.
[Wooden Tonfa made of Mora tree]
World Soul Grade Unit System (Edeya): C⁺
Overall Combat Ability: B
“Kids! Run now!”
“Uh, uhh. Mr. S-security guard.”
Greatsword with shark-like teeth VS Wooden Tonfa.
A difference that doesn’t even justify a bet.
“Heh. Farewell, South Korean comrades.”
“What are you doing? Guys, quickly run… ack.”
A thudding noise overlapped with a snapping sound. The hero-like security guard was taken down, with his Tonfa still in hand.
The greatsword splattered what seemed like a guard’s blood onto the 2nd squad members. They, mere students, had no presence of mind left.
“Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!”
“Comrades… Can’t you keep your mouths shut? It’s deafening.”
Crash.
People wearing dark hoods broke the bank entrance and entered.
About ten of them. Despite the sweltering summer day, they didn’t look hot at all. Instead, a chilling atmosphere surrounded them.
“Who… Who are you people?”
“Yo. The South Korean comrades this time seem a bit strong? The one with the wooden weapon earlier was no match.”
The burly security guards quickly formed a wall. Each drew their Edeya weapons, readying themselves for a life-and-death battle stance.
“South Korea…? Are you guys from North Korea?! Why are North Koreans suddenly here?”
“We came to taste the South Korean capitalism, you see? If you don’t want your heads to explode, hurry up and give us the money.”
The hooded man wielding the great sword spoke while waving his free hand.
“Everyone, line up!”
Naturally, the security guards had no intention of retreating. Behind them were the employees and students. Using the little pride they had, they could not retreat under any circumstances.
Besides, how dare they attempt to rob this place?
This is not just any bank, but the headquarters of a banking corporation, located in the heart of the city. If they can stall for a bit, they can even expect assistance from the police.
Chuk.
All the security guards stepped forward in unison.
“What are you doing? Comrades always act this way? Do better while we still call you ‘comrades’.”
“Shut up! Robbers!”
“This is why rotten capitalism doesn’t work. Charging like moths even when they can’t wield proper strength is the issue.”
Vrooom!
The oversized great sword was thrust towards the security guards.
“No, not like this…!”
Kim Seyun let out an involuntary sigh.
The White Jade Goblin instinctively knew the moment she saw that enormous great sword.
Even those mountain-like security guards wouldn’t stand the slightest chance against it. The sword would naturally descend, and just as naturally, the guards would fall.
No one would survive.
The wall the security guards had made was a dead-end, ensuring their own destruction.
“Hold on! Defend! Endure! We need to protect the students!”
Regrettably, such thoughts from Kim Seyun were not conveyed to the guards. Holding onto each other, they summoned unnecessary valor.
“Ugh! We will defend!”
“Huh? Good job, comrades.”
There were two sounds – the crunch as the great sword struck vertically, and the swish as it swung horizontally.
“Arghhh!”
“Gasp.”
In just two strikes, the carefully selected security guards of the bank’s headquarters were annihilated.
These guards, who fell like fallen leaves, were once a formidable group, each with a B-grade combat strength.
This made it clear.
“If South Korean comrades have such inadequate protection in a bank, does that mean we can take the money?”
That North Korean with the great sword must have at least an A-grade overall combat ability.
It was a scene so overwhelming it felt like a mental overload. The complexions of those who briefly lost their bearings paled noticeably.
Panicking in a crowd could cause chaos.
“Everyone gather behind the information desk NOW!!”
Relying solely on Kim Seyun’s shout, people hastily ran into the central desk.
“Did all the comrades decide to become bank tellers? Looks like I just need to take a ticket from this machine.”
“Starting now, squad leaders will command their squads! Squad 3!! Draw out all your Edeyas! Go!”
The North Korean man with the great sword seemed unfazed by Kim Seyun’s clamor. He mechanically took a ticket, discarded it, and repeated.
Ding, ding, ding, ding-ding-ding-ding-ding.
The oblivious sound of the information desk’s bell diligently responded to each ticket the North Korean drew.
“Ugh.”
“Please spare us…”
The heavy atmosphere intensified the fear among the squad members. The remaining employees and high school students felt no different. Some even closed their eyes and covered their ears.
“Should we start leaving? Have the bags for the money been prepared?”
“Ha! Don’t be scared! We just have to hold on until the platoon leaders or teachers arrive!”
“Don’t be so hostile among our own people. It’s better if we help and live for each other.”
Kim Seyun tried hard to keep a cool head.
Not just the man with the great sword, but the ten behind him were also problematic. In the current situation, even the remaining hooded figures appeared powerful.
“We need some money since we came from the North.”
“Who exactly are you? State your origin!”
Kim Seyun did her best to act unafraid.
“Speaking of which, what’s your name?”
“Private Kim Seyun!”
“Comrade Kim Seyun, if you shout once more, I’ll rip your mouth wide open. Just pray my title doesn’t become a swear word.”
“You can’t be… Pest?”
Stop.
At Kim Seyun’s question, the man with the great sword halted.
Pest.
A name frequently mentioned in the news. It was such a prominent title that those who didn’t know it were rare.
No known affiliation, no stated ideology, no clear origin.
No regard for race, region, or rank.
Being there when they arrived was your sin.
A destructive, murderous, inhumane terrorist group that operates worldwide.
“Since I came to publicize our activities, I might as well tell you. Do the Yankees still call our Grand Plague Squad that way? Comrade Kim Seyun is correct. We are not tied to a nation’s borders, but are members rooted in the Grand Plague Squad itself.”
“Pest, you say?”
“There were North Koreans in Pest?”
People once again succumbed to panic. Whether or not the North Korean’s statement was true, the very impact Pest had was immense.
Where Pest passed, not a single ant remained. They were a group whose only trace was that there were no survivors.
“So hurry up and gather the money, comrades. Is my patience reaching its limit?”
“Why would Pest target here…”
“We have to gather the money! Just give it all to them!”
The students in school uniforms had completely lost their will to fight. Even the squad members in combat uniforms understood why the guards couldn’t hold on.
“Hmph. Make a wise decision. If you don’t cooperate, we’ll simply wipe you all out and handle it amongst ourselves.”
“[White Jade Goblin.]”
Zap!
A bright flash emanated from the desperate information desk. A brief streak of light confidently took its place in front of the great sword.
“Hmm?”
“You never intended to spare us, did you?”
“That horn… You can’t be, comrade.”
“I propose a duel, staking all our lives. Let’s see who’s stronger.”
Kim Seyun deliberately instigated a one-on-one combat.
If they included the rest of the hooded figures, the situation would be hopeless. He needed to provoke pride, arrogance, and curiosity to find an opening.
“Smart lad. I briefly considered humoring you.”
“Hmm. The title has changed already? Feeling generous?”
“White Jade Goblin… A household I’m very familiar with. A group so madly insane they wouldn’t even be a match for our Grand Plague Squad.”
“Will you fight or talk, terrorist?”
“Hmph. Fine. Come forth, lad.”
Kim Seyun sighed in relief inwardly.
A leader shouldn’t rashly accept a one-on-one challenge, especially when they’re already in a favorable position.
Because it’s hard to break a promise made in front of one’s subordinates.
In other words, a golden opportunity for a turnaround.
If she can just get that great sword, maybe she can survive.
‘…I must.’
The horn on her forehead shone even brighter.
The horn endowed Kim Seyun with power and skills far beyond that of a high school girl. A goblin pursuing the art of the sword manifested in the form of a Sword Expert Intermediate.
[White Jade Goblin]
World Soul Level System (Edeya): A
‘Where is my sword?’
Kim Seyun always had a habit of placing her sword at a distance. Her slight defiance towards her lineage now painfully backfired.
[White Jade Goblin]
Overall Combat Ability: B⁺(A↓)
‘Ah, it’s by the entrance. Of all times for this habit.’
“Young lady? If you don’t charge, should I come and slit your throat?”
A blade, resembling a shark’s teeth, was drawn toward the mere high school girl.
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