How to Take Revenge as an Academy Scoundrel

Chapter 48. Heal

“…Me!?”

Misaki Ai gasped, her eyes widening in surprise.

Of course, the others had no way of knowing this fact.

“Yes, it’s you.”

In any case, the bait chosen by Kim Do-jin was Misaki Ai, and the reason was simple.

He himself had other tasks to attend to with his ‘rock manipulation’ superpower, so he passed.

Karla Arlen was also passed due to her ‘invisibility’ superpower, just in case.

That left Lee Jin-ryul, Lim So-hee, and Misaki Ai, with Misaki Ai being the fastest on her feet relative to her combat ability.

“Ah! I see. Understood!”

Misaki Ai accepted the role of bait willingly, without asking further questions.

“Good. Then let’s get started right away.”

As he said this, Kim Do-jin handed the two fruits to Karla Arlen and Lim So-hee.

“Ugh….”

Soon, Karla Arlen and Lim So-hee squeezed the fruits above Misaki Ai’s head.

– Drip, drip.

The juice that flowed from the fruits quickly cascaded down Misaki Ai’s entire body, and reluctant to let it fall to the ground, she smeared it all over herself.

“It’s sticky….”

Misaki Ai seemed displeased by the sensation of the juice clinging to her skin, but there was no helping it.

“Now, stand up there and wait. The moment I give the signal, run over there. Got it?”

From noble mtl dot com

At Kim Do-jin’s command, Misaki Ai nodded with a solemn expression, her resolve palpable in the air.

She then walked bravely to the designated spot, halting with determination, while Lee Jin-ryul observed her intently.

“…….”

Time trickled by, each second heavy with anticipation.

– Kuuu…!

Finally, the ‘Red-Furred Queen Ant’ began to emerge from the depths, shaking the very earth beneath them.

– Pahak!

With a violent upheaval, the ‘Red-Furred Queen Ant’ revealed its massive form, towering and grotesque.

“Kyah!”

True to its name, the creature was covered in a bristling coat of red fur, a sight both repulsive and terrifying.

In that moment, Misaki Ai gasped in shock, but quickly remembered her orders and deftly leaped aside to evade.

And at that very instant.

– Pababababak!

The remaining team members sprang from their hiding places, launching a coordinated assault.

“Kehek!”

Their strikes converged on the base of the right antenna.

The reason for this was simple: if the ‘Red-Furred Queen Ant’ lost even one antenna, it would attempt to self-destruct.

Given its colossal size, it was clear that capturing it would take an eternity.

Yet, by severing an antenna to provoke a self-detonation, they could dispatch it swiftly.

“Ugh! So tough!”

Of course, the queen ant’s antenna was formidable in its own right.

Though four of them unleashed their attacks in unison, the antenna showed no signs of yielding, standing firm like an ancient tree.

“If we keep this up, the others will swoop in for the final blow!”

Indeed, as Lee Jin-ryul had noted, many students had noticed the queen ant’s emergence and were rushing toward them.

However, they would not be allowed to claim the final strike.

– Thud!

At last, Kim Do-jin, now ready, spun suddenly and delivered a decisive blow.

– Shuak!

His dagger, held in his left hand, soared through the air, tracing a graceful arc toward the queen ant’s maw, propelled by his rock-manipulating powers.

However.

– Squish!

The queen ant hastily snapped her jaws, seizing the dagger in her grip.

“Ah!”

Misaki Ai, watching from below, felt a pang of disappointment, believing the attack had failed.

But.

“Kikek!”

The dagger had done its part well enough.

While the queen ant bit down on the dagger, the chitinous armor protecting her antennae weakened.

– Slash!

Kim Do-jin seized the opportunity, delivering a powerful strike that severed the antenna cleanly.

‘What!’

In that moment, Lee Jin-ryul’s eyes widened in shock.

The blow Kim Do-jin had just unleashed contained at least A-grade magical power.

‘I knew he had received a permanent buff from Chairwoman Kate… but this is truly astonishing.’

The feats he had displayed during the attempted kidnapping of Chairwoman Kate, among other things.

He had already reviewed all the related materials.

Yet, witnessing the battle unfold before his eyes, he couldn’t help but be amazed.

It wasn’t just the magical power; what was this genius-level combat instinct?

‘Interesting, and he’s only 17…’

Lee Jin-ryul thought to himself as he spun around.

The queen ant, having lost one of her antennae, began to prepare for self-detonation, as was her nature.

– Wooo!

In an instant, the queen ant’s head turned a molten red, and he could feel an immense surge of magical energy building up, almost palpable against his skin.

“Run!”

At Kim Do-jin’s warning, the team members began to sprint with all their might.

– Thud!

The queen ant’s self-detonation was indeed powerful, but there was still enough time to escape the blast radius.

Yet.

“Ugh!”

Misaki Ai stumbled, her foot caught in the mire, and fell into the swamp.

Just moments ago, she had been struck in the eye by an enemy’s attack, and in her frantic attempt to hold onto the slipping blindfold, she had made a fatal mistake.

– Splash!

Desperately, Misaki Ai pulled her limbs from the clinging muck, trying to run once more.

But—

– Whooosh!

Time was slipping away.

The explosion of the queen ant was now imminent, and Misaki Ai’s already pale face turned an even ghostlier shade.

‘No!’

And it was at that very moment.

– Bang!

From a distance, Kim Do-jin suddenly pivoted with lightning speed, racing toward Misaki Ai.

No, he was almost flying.

“……!”

Misaki Ai’s eyes widened in shock at Kim Do-jin’s unwavering form, and she marveled at how he could move so fast, but now was not the time for such thoughts.

“Get down!”

Before she knew it, Kim Do-jin had positioned himself behind her, shouting as he threw himself over her.

Even with his ‘Time Transcendence’ ability, there was not enough time to scoop her up and escape.

“Ah!”

Misaki Ai flinched, her face flushing as she felt Kim Do-jin’s weight pressing down on her.

And right after that.

– Boom!

An explosion of tremendous force erupted, fueled by the power of the ‘Red-Furred Queen Ant.’

“Ahh!”

Misaki Ai squeezed her eyes shut in terror, screaming, yet not a single scratch marred her body.

It was thanks to Kim Do-jin, who had absorbed the shock of the blast, shielding her from harm.

“Are you okay!?”

Meanwhile, Lim So-hee, Carla Arlen, and Lee Jin-ryul, who had barely escaped the blast radius, rushed over to check on Kim Do-jin and Misaki Ai.

– Thud, thud, thud…

As the debris from the explosion settled, Kim Do-jin’s figure became clearer.

“Ugh….”

Kim Do-jin, even using his ‘Petrification’ ability to shield his body, found the force of the explosion overwhelming.

“Blood, blood!”

The impact of the blast had struck Kim Do-jin squarely in the back.

Indeed, blood flowed freely between the torn seams of his combat suit.

Among the wounds, a large shard of the queen ant’s exoskeleton was embedded deep, a mark that could not be dismissed as trivial.

“Are, are you alright!?”

Misaki Ai, who had been staring blankly at Kim Do-jin while lying on the ground, finally snapped back to reality and rushed to examine his injuries.

“I’m so sorry! Because of me…!”

Though her eyes were hidden behind a blindfold, Misaki Ai’s tears welled up at the sight of Kim Do-jin’s grave wounds as she hastily retrieved a potion from her belt.

With trembling hands, she uncorked the vial and poured its contents generously over his injuries.

“Ugh!”

The transparent, slippery liquid that flowed from the potion bottle—Misaki Ai’s saliva—indeed worked to close Kim Do-jin’s wounds effectively.

However, there were too many injuries for that alone to suffice.

So, Misaki Ai…

“…!?”

With her face flushed, she began to gather her saliva in the palm of her hand.

“Gah….”

The teammates nearby gasped in surprise, their faces turning crimson as they watched. Misaki Ai carefully spread the warm saliva she had just collected over Kim Do-jin’s wounds, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

The act of applying her own saliva to another’s body felt profoundly shameful to her.

“I’m truly sorry! If I hadn’t fallen….”

Kim Do-jin responded with a nonchalant expression, dismissing her apologies.

“No need to apologize; it wasn’t intentional.”

Yet, Misaki Ai continued to treat Kim Do-jin’s wounds, her face still a mask of guilt.

‘Hmm…’

Meanwhile, Lee Jin-ryul, observing the tender scene, tilted his head in thought.

‘Is she not one of them?’

It was merely a fleeting impression, but Misaki Ai, as he had watched her, did not seem like someone who would ally with villains to commit misdeeds.

‘Well, I suppose I should keep watching.’

As Lee Jin-ryul organized his thoughts, the atmosphere thickened with uncertainty.

Finally, the other students began to arrive at the scene, one by one.

“What’s this!? Is it already over!?”

“Tch… Huh? But what kind of situation is that?”

The students, lamenting their late arrival, soon found themselves unable to contain their astonishment at the sight of Misaki Ai tending to Kim Do-jin.

“Th-that holy water!”

As the saliva in her mouth dwindled, Misaki Ai squeezed out more, her actions somehow both alluring and embarrassing.

“Ahem…”

Kim Do-jin, feeling awkward for no reason, turned his gaze elsewhere.

“Ugh…”

Lim So-hee, for some reason, was gnawing on her lips, intently watching Misaki Ai’s every move, while Karla Arlen looked down with her arms crossed, a disapproving expression etched on her face.

‘She looks like she’s thinking, what kind of healer is that?’

As Kim Do-jin scanned the surroundings, he suddenly spotted Yoon Yu-na.

“…”

Yoon Yu-na had been staring at Misaki Ai with her mouth agape for who knows how long.

“Ugh!”

The moment her eyes met Kim Do-jin’s, she flinched and quickly turned away, hiding herself.

“…?”

In any case, thanks to Misaki Ai, Kim Do-jin’s wounds healed swiftly, and the exam concluded at such an early hour.

Of course, the top spot in this exam belonged to Kim Do-jin’s team.

* * *

Early morning.

Kim Do-jin and Yoon Yu-na, on patrol for the student council, walked through the deserted schoolyard.

But then, at a certain moment.

“Hey.”

Yoon Yu-na suddenly spun around, her voice cold as ice.

“…What?”

Taken aback, Kim Do-jin asked, and Yoon Yu-na, for some reason, spoke as if she were interrogating him.

“I saw you with Misaki yesterday; the atmosphere was unusual. Are you two, like, in a thing?”

Kim Do-jin’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then narrowed as he retorted.

“What about you? Aren’t you in a thing with Lee Jin-ryul? You’re always on the same team, and when we went to the museum, you seemed pretty close.”

Yun Yuna, suddenly aflame with anger, exclaimed.

“What!? No! It was just a coincidence that we ended up on the same team, but what about you! Yesterday, you were doing that with Misaki, and before that, it was with Sohee, and before that, with Karla!”

Kim Dojin, wearing a look of grievance, replied.

“What are you talking about? That was all for a reason, you know. The only person I’ve truly expressed my feelings to is you. Do you really not understand that?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

The emotions that had been burning like fire between the two began to shift in a strange way.

“How am I supposed to know if you understand my heart? Is words not enough? Should I show it through my actions instead?”

“What!? Wh-what are you suddenly doing!?”

Yun Yuna froze, taken aback by Kim Dojin’s unexpected demeanor, as he began to approach her, step by step.

“You, you…”

Just as Yun Yuna was about to push Kim Dojin away, he came so close that she found herself—

“….”

As if entranced by something, she suddenly cupped his face in her hands.

And then.

“Ugh…”

Without a thought of who would go first, they gently pressed their lips together.

“….”

For the first time in her life, Yun Yuna kissed a boy, and in a daze, she unconsciously squeezed her eyes shut.

“Ah…”

Kim Dojin, seemingly enjoying the moment, pulled back slightly to gaze into Yun Yuna’s eyes with a lingering intensity before diving back into the kiss, lost in the bliss of it all.

They say you hear the sound of bells when you have your first kiss, don’t they?

But that wasn’t the case.

Instead of bells, Yun Yuna heard the sound of an alarm.

[Beep beep beep! Wake up! It’s morning!]

The cute character on the alarm clock screen chirped in a cheerful voice, rousing Yun Yuna from her slumber.

“….”

Staring blankly at the ceiling for a long moment, Yun Yuna finally realized that what had just happened was nothing but a dream.

And right after that.

“Ughhh!”

Burying her face into the pillow, she began to pound the innocent bed in frustration.