I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius

I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius – 104

EP.104 Phantom Thief Kang Seo-jun (2)

– Whoom! –

Kang Seo-jun stepped through the red portal and entered the underground of the demons’ hideout. There were surely more than 20 demons gathered on the upper floors. However, there was nothing to worry about.

‘This was a secret space hidden by Omen himself.’

The ones above didn’t even know this space existed. Therefore, they couldn’t imagine that an intruder like Kang Seo-jun was raiding their hideout in real-time.

‘Still, I need to finish quickly and get out.’

Speed was the essence of stealth. No matter how much it was emphasized, it was never enough. Being complacent because it seemed safe and leisurely could lead to unexpected accidents.

‘Just in case, I should close the portal too.’

Kang Seo-jun infused light mana into the red portal.

– Sizzle…! –

With a sound like water burning, the demonic energy was purified, and the portal dissipated.

‘I should take the demonic portal scroll with me when I leave.’

Though it couldn’t be reused due to tracking magic, it was a [Rare] grade item that could fetch a good price at the Dimension Store.

‘Now then…’

Kang Seo-jun turned his head back to the dark corridor. It was time to loot the treasures at the end of that darkness.

‘But there was one more obstacle before that.’

After walking for a while, Kang Seo-jun stopped again. It was only natural that Omen’s security measures to protect his secret warehouse weren’t just limited to ‘hiding a secret portal that could only be opened with demonic energy.’

‘Gargoyles….’

In the pitch-black corridor, gargoyle statues were lined up on both sides. There were six of them in total.

‘They were the guards of Omen’s secret warehouse.’

Normally, they slept in the form of statues, but if an intruder approached within a certain distance, they would instantly become moving monsters and attack. Each gargoyle was at a [B+] grade level. While he could handle one, facing six at once would be difficult.

They were extremely aggressive and fierce, so using ‘Counter Time’ would make it relatively easy to subdue them….

‘But that would cause a commotion outside. If there were any demons with keen senses, my stealth could be compromised.’

Of course, as always, Kang Seo-jun had a method.

‘Just prevent them from transforming.’

Kang Seo-jun activated the 《Eye of Providence》. The mechanism for the gargoyles’ de-petrification was ultimately magical. By interpreting and distorting the activation ritual, he could turn them into permanent statues.

‘Your guard duty ends today. It’s time for you to retire forever.’

– Whoom! –

Kang Seo-jun infused mana into the security ritual embedded in the corridor. The dark corridor was momentarily illuminated by the blue light of mana rising from the floor.

‘Let’s hurry, just in case.’

Following the solution shown by the Eye of Providence, Kang Seo-jun modified the security ritual. He reduced the intrusion detection range to the size of a bean and deleted the de-petrification trigger.

It took only 3 seconds.

That was all the time needed to turn the six gargoyles into mere statues.

– Ssssss…. –

As Kang Seo-jun finished his work and withdrew his mana, the glowing runes on the floor lost their light and faded away.

‘With this, the gargoyles are dealt with.’

– Shring…. –

Kang Seo-jun purchased an 《Adamantium Dagger》 from the Dimension Store. It was time to extract the spoils from the gargoyles.

Each gargoyle’s mana stone is top-grade.’

Each one was of [Rare] grade, worth around 900 million, if not quite 1 billion.

It’s like winning the lottery two or three times over, just like blowing my nose.’

No wonder he didn’t regret the 20 billion from his past life.

– Step. Step. –

Kang Seo-jun approached the nearest gargoyle. Even in its statue state, the detail of its muscles and veins was impressive. It looked as if it could come to life at any moment. However, without the de-petrification function, the gargoyle would remain immobile forever.

Now then…’

Kang Seo-jun reached for the gargoyle’s chest. Since the gargoyle was over 3 meters tall, even the 2-meter-tall Kang Seo-jun had to raise his hand.

The top-grade mana stone was embedded in the center of the gargoyle’s chest.

‘Easier than eating cake.’

– Poof! –

Without hesitation, Kang Seo-jun plunged the 《Adamantium Dagger》 right into the spot where the mana stone was embedded.

The petrified gargoyle was as hard as solid rock, but the dagger pierced through it as if it were soft tofu.

‘This is adamantium.’

A supreme mineral that could easily penetrate rock without the need to learn aura techniques to strengthen the blade. However, it was quite expensive. It would have been nice if earth elemental magic could solve it, but….

The gargoyle’s stone was formed by arcane magic, different from the natural stone that elementals could manipulate.

– Slice! Thud! –

– Slice! Thud! –

With such thoughts, Kang Seo-jun quickly moved around, and before he knew it, he had finished farming the gargoyle mana stones.

– Rumble…. –

The gargoyles, deprived of their mana stones, lost their form and collapsed into dust.

‘I should sell this too.’

《Gargoyle Stone Powder》 was a valuable material frequently used in alchemy. Although the material’s grade was [High], turning six gargoyles entirely into stone powder would yield a considerable profit if sold.

[You have sold a large quantity of 《Gargoyle Stone Powder》.]

‘Phew….’

Each gargoyle weighed easily over a ton, so selling all of them took quite some time. However, after diligently working for about 20 minutes, he had amassed an enormous profit comparable to the six top-grade mana stones.

‘Thank you, Omen.’

Omen probably never imagined that even the gargoyles would be stolen. He had installed expensive gargoyles to protect his secret warehouse, but a true thief would gratefully steal anything valuable.

‘Alright, then….’

The only thing standing between Kang Seo-jun and Omen’s hoarded treasures was….

‘This steel door.’

Kang Seo-jun reached the steel door at the end of the corridor. It was a thick steel door resembling a submarine hatch. Although it was smaller than the massive vault door in the previous cathedral, it seemed just as robust.

‘They’ve put a lot of effort into physical resistance and magic blocking.’

Of course, all that effort was futile before Kang Seo-jun’s 《Eye of Providence》.

‘Well, in the future, I might be able to tear it open with brute force, but with my current specs, which are at the level of Terminator T-1000, it’s tough.’

If strength doesn’t work, magic will.

– Whoom!! –

Kang Seo-jun’s eyes glowed blue.

– Clack! Clack! –

The complex mechanisms locking the steel door were being interpreted and deactivated repeatedly.

– Rumble! –

Soon, all the locks were removed, and the handle on the steel door began to turn on its own.

– Tap! –

A light, soft footstep sounded from behind Kang Seo-jun.

“……!?”

In that moment, Kang Seo-jun felt a chill run down his spine. There was definitely someone there.

“I heard a noise. I know you’re there, so come out without resisting.”

Sure enough, a cold and composed female voice came from behind him. The voice was clearly directed at him.

‘W-What!? Who!?’

Kang Seo-jun quickly turned around. The 《Eye of Providence》, which had been illuminating the vault’s mechanism, now focused on the unfamiliar figure standing at the end of the dark corridor.

– Whoom. –

‘…What?’

Soon, upon identifying the stranger, Kang Seo-jun almost gasped in shock.

Kuyamoto…. Sakura?’

Silver bobbed hair and pink eyes. The young lady of the Japanese swordsmanship family, the Kuyamoto clan. She was the elder sister of Kuyamoto Kenji and a hunter who had reached [S-] grade. She was staring at Kang Seo-jun from the end of the dark corridor.

‘Why, why is she here!?’

Why was the Kuyamoto clan’s hunting dog suddenly here…!? In Ulleungdo, in the demons’ hideout, where she had no connections whatsoever! And judging by her appearance, it didn’t seem like a situation where she could be welcomed warmly.

‘She’s covered in blood.’

From head to toe, she was drenched in black blood. She must have just slaughtered the more than thirty demons on the upper floor.

‘Damn it…!’

With a luck stat of ’50,’ how could such an absurd coincidence happen? Or was it because his luck was ’50’ that this happened?

‘Why…?’

How could facing this [S-] grade monster be considered a stroke of luck?

Moreover, the situation was utterly ridiculous. Meeting her in the demons’ hideout at this exact timing would undoubtedly make her think he was a demon. It wouldn’t be strange at all if she mistook him for a demon and attacked him right here and now.

‘B-But…! It’s not over yet! Maybe I can hide and escape…!’

Kang Seo-jun was currently wearing the 《Presence Concealing Cloak》 coated with 《Invisibility Oil》. Even though Kuyamoto Sakura was an [S-] grade hunter with exceptional sensory abilities, it was unlikely she could detect him from this distance while he was fully armed with stealth items….

“There you are.”

“Oh, shit.”

He was discovered.

“W-Wait a minute!”

Kang Seo-jun hurriedly removed the cloak and waved his hands.

“No questions!”

But, as expected, conversation was impossible.

– Bang!!! –

As soon as Kang Seo-jun revealed himself, Sakura kicked off the ground forcefully and charged at him like a bullet. Even in the dark corridor, her raised blade seemed to glint with light.

‘Damn it!’

If not for the 《Eye of Providence》, he wouldn’t have been able to see or react to her speed. There was no time to think. In the end, Kang Seo-jun had no choice but to activate his trump card, ‘Counter Time.’

[Activating skill 《Counter Time》.]

[Critical Hit! A lucky strike hits the enemy’s vital point!]

– Boom!!! –

“K-Kuh!?”

Kang Seo-jun’s punch landed deeply in Sakura’s solar plexus as she charged at him like a bullet.