I Possessed a Broken Academy Instructor - Chapter 73



Chapter 73

Geumganghyeok of the Geumyoung Group and Tita Genolua, the rightful heir of the Genolua Family, clasped hands.

Of course, that did not mean they shared the same purpose.

From noble mtl dot com

Geumganghyeok aimed to topple Steromere’s absolute power, while Tita sought to reclaim the throne that had been stolen from her.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

Following that ancient adage, whose origin was now lost to time, they willingly joined hands.

Perhaps that was the essence of the original narrative.

“…Once I subdue Lucky Anubis and take control of the Genolua Family, I will have a justification to mobilize the assassin company that has maintained neutrality. Then, there may be a chance against Steromere.”

Jin Crow mulled over Tita Genolua’s words as he sat beside her, continuing his thoughts.

‘In the original, it ended in failure. Given how faint Geumganghyeok’s name has become.’

Thus, it meant a coup that would originally fail.

Yet, he had no intention of withdrawing now.

If it was merely a fight for the dominance of a single city, the outcome mattered little, but if Steromere continued to hold the reins of the Free Planet Alliance, that future was anything but hopeful.

‘……By the way, it was just recently that we thwarted a coup, and now you’re involved in one. Truly astonishing.’

Of course, no matter how much of a starry knight he was, he had no intention of dragging the cadets into this affair.

He himself had already obtained a formal freelance mercenary ID through a broker known to Tita Genolua, and if necessary, the cadets could use the same method. But to oversee that would surely be a failure of his duty as an instructor.

Because of this, he had suppressed the subtle desires of Dokoran and even Beatus to be involved in this matter with demerits.

‘For now, they must remain promising cadets.’

Watching the turmoil of the Free Planet Alliance, he felt acutely that humanity’s enemies were not merely the creatures of the void.

No, perhaps humanity’s greatest foes were the dark masses that schemed solely for their own power and glory from within.

“What are you thinking about?”

“……Dinner menu.”

“You have no talent for lying. Or perhaps you just don’t feel the need to dress it up?”

Tita Genolua murmured this to Jin Crow, then took a drag from her cigarette.

The car was already thick with the smoke from the cigarettes lit by Tita Genolua and Jin Crow, but both felt a subtle unease, prompting them to light up simultaneously.

“Geumyoung Security will track down the Fatal of Carpe Diem and Jimmy Silver of the Interstellar Transport Guild. They are loyalists whose positions are shaky without the authority of Stero Mer.”

In his heart, he wished to topple both factions entirely, but the reality of it being impossible was a bitter disappointment.

Carpe Diem Entertainment wielded considerable influence not only over the Free Planet Alliance but also the Empire and the Synthesized States, while the Interstellar Transport Guild handled intermediary trade for the Empire and the Synthesized States.

In other words, even if capitalism could quickly fill any void, the mere chaos of that moment was something to be concerned about, given the size of these factions.

Thus, there was but one choice.

“Cut off Fatal and Jimmy Silver. Then use their following as pawns for the committee.”

“Most likely, that’s what Geumganghyeok is thinking.”

Tita Genolua agreed with his words.

However, her voice was far from bright.

It was only natural.

Just as Jin Crow did not harbor fond feelings for Geumganghyeok due to personal emotions, Tita felt the same.

She was no fool.

Though she struggled with the unexpected betrayal of Lucky Anubis, once a loyal servant of her father, she had nonetheless maintained her position and influence as Consigliere entirely through her own capabilities.

Because of this, she had never lowered her guard against Geumganghyeok.

“……Don’t be fooled by that careless smile. He’s the kind of man who would do anything for power. He’s quick with his calculations.”

Until a few years ago, there were easily over twenty heirs bearing the Geum surname.

The chairman, Geum Taeyoung, had a notorious reputation for his womanizing, and thus, his greed for offspring was equally strong.

The very fact that he had a child with an elf as his wife showcased just how mad a man he truly was.

‘Elves and humans find it hard to bear children. They must consume a special potion throughout the pregnancy, a privilege granted only to the nobility within the Empire.’

It is not just the half-elves.

He has seen children born from all the women he took as concubines.

Of course, the Chairman knew.

He understood that this could spark a succession war, one that could topple the vast capitalist kingdom built by the Geum family.

For that reason, he bestowed overwhelming power along with shares to the firstborn.

However, there was a truth the Chairman was unaware of: a monster named Geum Gang-hyeok had been born as his son.

No, it was merely a mad elf to a mad old man…

Thinking back, ‘elf’ and ‘mad’ were synonymous. It was shameful to make such a mistake.

“The process remains undisclosed, but as soon as Geum Gang-hyeok grasped power, he killed all his half-brothers. Their mothers, of course, and their families too. And then the Chairman vanished.”

Even now, he still claims to be the second son of the Geum family, the CEO and whatnot.

But those who know understand.

The Geum family, excluding him, no longer exists in this Free Planet Alliance.

“Of course, he’s the type to get things done efficiently.”

“Then we should finish what we have to do right away.”

“Clear as day, mercenary.”

Without a care for who went first, the two grasped the door handle of the vehicle they had been in and stepped out, just as a thunderous explosion roared in their ears.

KWA-BOOM!

KRaaaK!

It was a sound that could only belong to a battlefield, yet neither of them paid it any mind.

It was only natural.

This entire situation was part of their plan, and indeed, this was a real battlefield.

Jin Crow opened his hip flask and took a swig before gripping the military dagger he had brought instead of a longsword in a reverse hold.

Then, with an expressionless face, he looked at Tita Zenolua, who was donning leather gloves and had a cigarette clenched between his lips, and asked.

“Are you planning to jump in yourself?”

“Of course.”

In response to his question, Tita Zenolua chuckled softly.

“Blood for blood. That is our code.”

A vengeance that must be fulfilled. One that requires a lifetime commitment, even if it makes one appear foolish to others.

Vendetta.

Chewing on the familiar yet foreign word, Jin Crow nodded, and soon they began to walk slowly toward the battlefield.

“Do not panic!”

“Gah!”

Meanwhile, the stronghold of the Zenolua family, now a battlefield, was nothing short of a hellish chaos.

They held tradition in high regard.

While other factions settled in the bustling metropolis, they chose the quiet District 11, close to slums and impoverished areas, for it was where they first established their roots.

Regardless, they spared no bullets against one another.

“Uwaaah!”

“Die! You filthy traitors!”

“I shall gift you a leather wallet filled with fish!”

The once-majestic garden maze, infused with the souls of the gardeners, lay in ruins, the central fountain worn down, and the walls battered as if struck by several trucks.

Yet, amidst the hail of bullets, as they killed and were killed, the powerless mafias knew all too well.

Their role was merely to serve as pleasing pawns in this fight, nothing more, nothing less.

The outcome of this battle had been determined from the start, hinging on the clash of superhumans.

“We capture Tita Zenolua.”

“Yes, Caporegime.”

The judgment of the superhumans following Lucky Anubis was grounded in stark common sense.

She was the enemy’s queen.

Had there ever been a war in history where one could suppress the leader and still lose?

“Murder Company. We need no help from those butcher b*stards. Our time is coming.”

If it seemed like a strange hint of rivalry lingered in those words, perhaps it was just a feeling.

The faces of the superhumans following him were pristine.

All twenty of them donned black shirts and suits, adorned with golden pins on their ties, and soon they appeared in the heart of the garden.

“Go forth, our friends.”

Then, with the murmured incantation of the man at the forefront, they leaped toward Tita Zenolua, weapons in hand, without hesitation.

“To the glory of vendetta for the Consigliere.”

Naturally, the superhumans following her did not remain idle.

In an instant, dozens of superhumans tangled with genuine murderous intent, and soon the results engulfed the garden.

“Cough!”

“Gahhh!”

The man, spinning the gear, reached the speed of sound in an instant, severing the enemy’s head, only to be pierced through the abdomen by a sharp root that shot up from the ground, meeting his death.

“Uaaah!”

“…Cough.”

The fingertips that handled the chains froze, and with a brutish grip, he yanked the head, pulling it straight from the spine.

As the scene unfolded, the overwhelming majority of ordinary people, despite aiming their guns at one another and pulling the triggers, cast glances filled with wonder, horror, and even fear.

It was only natural.

Psyonic energy scattered in all directions, and losing an arm was of no concern at all.

But that was not all.

Even those who, though unable to forge gears, had joined the fray, having partially replicated the miracles of superhumans through various procedures and implants, plunged the already fierce battlefield into deeper chaos.

“…Is this all there is?”

But in that moment.

Thud-.

Jin Crow, smoking a cigarette, silently observed the level of the superhumans, and soon the area was plunged into darkness, his gaze fixed on the mansion now shrouded in shadow.

“The real ones are over there.”

The level of those responding in the garden barely reached triple, with most closer to dual gear.

Of course, their movements were well-trained, but that was all.

‘There’s no time. Time.’

Jin Crow, or rather the freelance mercenary Jin, hoped desperately that he wouldn’t have to work overtime, watching the struggling back of Tita Zenolua.

Bang!

Her movements, too, were so effective that it was hard to believe they belonged to a dual gear-level superhuman…

‘Clearing a path should be fine.’

Wasn’t that the very reason he was paid?

If money was received, labor must be provided.

It was a perfectly reasonable expectation.

Jin Crow lightly spun the dagger he held in reverse grip and stepped forward.

“Eh?”

Rustle, thud-.

“Phew.”

With a short breath, he brushed away the droplets of blood that had splattered onto his cheek, murmuring without even glancing at the slumping corpse.

“I am the mercenary Jin.”

It was closer to self-brainwashing.

*

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Amidst the chaos outside, Lucky Anubis, having heard of the blackout and riots in District 11, kept his eyes closed for a long while before finally opening them slowly.

“……”

The sporadic bursts of gunfire from outside flickered through the window, and soon his gaze fell upon the photograph of the former Don.

“Don, you’ve raised a nephew who is quite the handful.”

The emotion that lingered on Lucky Anubis’s face, as he regarded the image, was—how to put it—truly complex, filled with the twilight of regret and expectation.

Sizzle, drip—.

At last, he took a drag from his cigar and savored a sip of whiskey he had poured earlier. Then, he retrieved the documents containing all the information he had received from Stero Mer and placed them on the table before sinking back into his chair.

“Was the end of Judah suicide?”

At the edge of his vision, it felt as if he could see the sharp maw of Lucifer in the night.