I Became a Genius Swordsman in the Pretty Girl Game-Chapter 308: Demon Hunting (3)

Min Tae-hoon, who had been ranting, soon regained his composure and shut his mouth, a grim realization washing over him.

‘Damn it, where did I slip up...?’

He had taken great pains to avoid Jin Yoo-ha’s gaze, hiding and maneuvering to stay off his radar.

‘So, even a rotting fish can still catch prey...’

Somehow, Jin Yoo-ha had noticed the abnormalities at the academy and managed to catch him. And without him even realizing it, he’d been knocked out and restrained. He was only one step away from completing his plan, yet somehow, Jin Yoo-ha had managed to apprehend him right before he could finish.

He had no idea where he’d been exposed, especially since he thought he’d executed his plan flawlessly. If Jin Yoo-ha had known from the beginning, he would have stopped him long before he could distribute the seeds of demonic energy to the freshmen.

‘Alright, I need to make an excuse.’

He was bound to a chair, surrounded by the Utopia party. His body was already giving off a faint demonic aura, a sign that he was too far gone. Just looking into Jin Yoo-ha’s cold eyes sent a chill down his spine and filled him with dread. Yet, driven by a desperate survival instinct, Min Tae-hoon forced himself to speak.

“J-Jin Yoo-ha, Instructor! I-I just got a bit... carried away!”

“...Oh?”

Jin Yoo-ha’s eyebrow arched, showing mild curiosity.

“I-I don’t even know why I look like a demon!”

Min Tae-hoon, seeing the unyielding look in Jin Yoo-ha’s eyes, activated his powers to strengthen his plea.

“I-It’s... Oh! It must have been one of the male quota students who gave me this strange black pill! That must be how I ended up like this!”

“Hmm? Is that so?”

“Yes, yes! This is a big problem! The student’s name was Choi Jung-soo. We don’t have time to waste! Many freshmen have taken that pill! It’s not just me we should be worrying about!”

Feigning ignorance and pretending to be a noble, self-sacrificing victim, Min Tae-hoon presented himself as a hero. But...

“Spare me.”

Jin Yoo-ha scoffed at him dismissively.

“I know it was you who distributed those seeds of demonic energy.”

Damn it. This guy wasn’t buying it at all. Min Tae-hoon closed his eyes, realizing that it was useless to keep up the charade. Jin Yoo-ha had somehow confirmed that he was the mastermind behind it all.

‘I can’t drag this out. Who knows when that monster might strike?’

Quickly changing tactics, Min Tae-hoon opened his eyes, a cold fury replacing his earlier desperation, and spoke in a threatening tone.

“Fine, I did it. So what now? Are you going to kill me?”

“That’s the plan.”

His second option now came into play.

“You’ll regret it if you kill me. The cadets who took the seeds of demonic energy are already addicted.”

This was his leverage—holding the freshmen he’d corrupted as hostages.

“If you let me go, I can reverse what happened to them. It’d be in your best interest to free me.”

Of course, he knew this was impossible. He had already fed the freshmen the seeds, nurturing their growth with demonic energy and stirring up malice and desire within them. The seeds were deeply rooted by now—there was no turning back. However, he was banking on the fact that Jin Yoo-ha wouldn’t know this.

No matter what, Jin Yoo-ha was a hero—a fool of a hero. Even if he suspected him, he wouldn’t risk leaving the cadets in danger. But, contrary to his expectations, Jin Yoo-ha simply let out a low, scornful laugh.

“This bastard thinks he can pull a fast one on me?”

[The Utopia stream has started.]

As soon as Se-hee’s broadcast began, viewers flocked to it.

Yoo-ha, Yoo-ha, Yoo-ha!What’s going on? I was watching the freshman sparring, and it just cut off!Is something suspicious going on with the sparring match?

[‘UtopiaIsJustLucky’ has been banned from the chat.]

Viewers were confused as the screen showed a student tied to a chair, with drones capturing the scene from multiple angles.

?What’s going on?He’s in a student uniform, but why is he tied up?What the heck is happening?This feels really intense.

Se-hee, however, didn’t seem interested in addressing the viewers’ confusion. She simply adjusted the drone cameras to focus on Jin Yoo-ha and Min Tae-hoon.

“What... What is this? Jin Yoo-ha, Instructor, what’s happening?”

Suddenly, Min Tae-hoon’s veins bulged, and his irises began to darken, the telltale signs of his demonic transformation.

“A demon dares to speak my name?”

Holy crap, he’s a demon?Did a demon infiltrate the academy?And he got caught by Jin Yoo-ha?

With no commentary from Se-hee, viewers started piecing things together from the conversation and what they saw on screen. When Min Tae-hoon desperately claimed he was a victim, ensnared by another demon, the chat grew even more confused and sympathetic.

Wait, so he’s not a demon but a victim of one?He said he took something that turned him into this!This is serious. What about the other cadets?I can’t follow what’s happening!

However, Jin Yoo-ha simply snorted, clearly unperturbed by Min Tae-hoon’s plea. As his sympathy act fell flat, Min Tae-hoon’s expression shifted, revealing a twisted, malicious smile that only a demon could wear.

This sudden change in demeanor sent the chat spiraling.

Did you see that shift in his expression? Chills.So he really is a demon...I almost believed he was a victim. But no, he’s definitely a demon.This is what a demon really is, huh?Wow, this is terrifying.But what about the cadets? Are they really addicted to demonic energy?

Remembering the feats the freshmen had accomplished, the chat grew increasingly anxious. Sensing it was her moment to step in, Se-hee finally spoke.

“Hi, everyone! We had a little emergency, so we switched gears from the freshman sparring broadcast!”

Her cheerful tone clashed with the tense atmosphere.

“I know you’re worried, but there’s absolutely nothing to fear! If it were really dangerous, do you think I’d be broadcasting it?”

It’s Se-hee!Woooo!Se-hee, Se-hee, Se-hee, Se-hee!But she says it’s not dangerous? Aren’t the cadets supposed to be infected with demonic energy?

Se-hee waited for someone to voice this before she smirked and delivered her line.

“Yes, that’s just a delusion.”

A delusion?

“Yep! Ha! This whole thing was under Director Lina’s control from the start.”

By invoking Lina’s name, Se-hee accomplished three things: she calmed the viewers, concealed Ichika’s dream-manipulating abilities under the guise of Lina’s powers, and sent a clear warning to any watching demons.

‘This is the best way to cover up Lina’s limitations on direct intervention.’

Of course, Lina would know if a demon slipped in!Yeah, what kind of demon would have the guts to sneak into Lina’s own backyard?The Maestra would never let that happen!

The mention of Lina, the world’s greatest hero, immediately put the viewers at ease.

“Alright, everyone! Things are about to get really interesting!” Se-hee cheered, raising her hologram projector.

The hologram displayed in front of Min Tae-hoon’s horrified eyes showed him, on the very first night of training, tied to a chair by Jin Yoo-ha.

Haha, so he got caught on the first day?This is hilarious.Look at his face!

The next clip was even more damning, showing Utopia’s team munching on snacks as they watched Min Tae-hoon’s dream on a screen in their meeting room. Although the video was edited for time, it was enough to convey the absurdity of Min Tae-hoon’s efforts to the viewers.

So, he was plotting to destroy the academy in his dream?Trying to seduce people with power? Wow.If he hadn’t been caught, this could’ve gotten dangerous.

Se-hee chimed in with a laugh, “Oh, please. This dream world was purely for convenience. It was way too kind to this demon. I mean, did you really think all the instructors would just stand there applauding as hundreds of freshmen suddenly became super powerful?”

LolThis feels like watching an over-the-top anime.The instructors just clapping along, oblivious, is hilarious.But Lina’s powers are something else. To craft a dream like this...

While the viewers laughed at Min Tae-hoon’s delusional fantasy, there was one person who couldn’t join in the amusement: Min Tae-hoon himself.

He trembled as he watched the video unfold, his hands and feet shaking uncontrollably.

“All... ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ All of it? It was all a dream? The training, the seeds of demonic energy, Alice...?”

Jin Yoo-ha smirked and leaned in closer, speaking with a slight sneer.

“How was it? Was that fleeting dream sweet enough for you?”