How to Take Revenge as an Academy Scoundrel

Chapter 61. The Past

Five years ago.

Misaki Ai was an ordinary twelve-year-old girl, yet to awaken her psychic powers.

Of course, both her parents were Awakened, so it was a foregone conclusion that she too would eventually awaken her abilities through inheritance.

But the question remained: when would it happen, and what powers would she awaken?

Typically, psychic awakenings occur suddenly, without warning, and among them are those that can be perilous.

Looking around Kim Dojin’s circle, the most notable example was Kim Muho’s awakening.

The world’s strongest fire wielder, Kim Muho, demonstrated his potential by unleashing a massive explosion of flames upon his awakening, devastating the surrounding area.

Fortunately, at that time, only monsters were present, or else a great disaster could have ensued.

Of course, the fact that the Awakened was the extraordinary Kim Muho and that the situation was dire due to the monsters played a role, but nonetheless, the moment of awakening demanded caution.

Thus, Misaki Ai’s parents kept a watchful eye, but… tragically, an unimaginable calamity unfolded.

At the worst possible moment, Misaki Ai awakened a powerful ‘Fascination’ ability.

This potent psychic power, which could enchant anyone merely by gazing into their eyes, activated on Karasuma Ryota, who had come to visit Misaki Ai’s home at that very time, driving him into madness.

Beyond merely being enchanted by her, he attempted to assault her.

Why Karasuma Ryota, the eldest son of the Karasuma clan and a man of great reputation, lost his mind in such a way remained a mystery.

What was clear, however, was that he had gone wild in his attempt to violate Misaki Ai, and tragically, her parents, who tried to intervene, were all murdered.

Naturally, the twelve-year-old Misaki Ai’s mind shattered before such a horrific reality.

And though she nearly fell victim to the madness of Karasuma Ryota, fortunately, such a tragedy did not come to pass.

The Awakened members of the Karasuma clan, who rushed in upon hearing the commotion, subdued Karasuma Ryota, and it was only after Misaki Ai regained consciousness that she learned he had died in the process.

Then, the head of the Karasuma clan, Karasuma Tenshin, personally sought out Misaki Ai to make a request.

This tragedy was something no one desired, and he believed no one was at fault.

Thus, he proposed that it would be best to protect the honor of those involved.

In truth, if one were to trace the root of this tragedy, it led back to Misaki Ai herself.

Had she not awakened her ‘Fascination’ ability at that moment, Karasuma Ryota would not have acted in such a manner.

In the end, Misaki Ai followed the words of Karasuma Tenshin, and it became known to the world that her entire family, along with Karasuma Ryota, had been slain by mysterious villains.

Afterward, Misaki Ai, under the patronage of the “Karasuma Clan,” gradually began to heal her troubled heart, striving to live a somewhat ordinary life while wearing the special eye patch she had now.

However, about half a year ago, Karasuma Seishiro suddenly sought to enforce a political marriage.

Naturally, Misaki Ai expressed her refusal, but the situation was far from simple.

In truth, Misaki Ai had a younger sister named Misaki Shiori.

She was believed to have died alongside Misaki Ai’s parents in that incident five years ago, but she was still alive, battling her illness.

The problem was that the disease she suffered from was a rare affliction that could only be sustained by a special magical stone, which the “Karasuma Clan” monopolized.

Karasuma Seishiro cunningly dangled the provision of that magical stone as a price for marriage, and Misaki Ai, trembling at the thought, found it difficult to refuse, knowing she had to save her sister.

Thus, she used her young age as an excuse, half withholding her answer, which led to the current predicament.

“…That’s how it came to be.”

At last, Misaki Ai concluded her explanation in a trembling voice.

“I see…”

Kim Dojin fell into thought for a moment, the content aligning somewhat with his expectations, before speaking again.

“Then, I cannot help but suspect Karasuma Ryota. He must possess the ability to inscribe his mark on his younger sister, Karasuma Seishiro.”

In response, Misaki Ai, looking confused, pressed her forehead.

“Yes. But… they said he was dead, and I even confirmed it through the footage…”

The people of Japan, it would not be an exaggeration to say, offered absolute support and reverence to Karasuma Tenshin, who upheld the nation, and Misaki Ai was no different.

Thus, she could hardly imagine the ugly truth of the Karasuma Clan, but Kim Dojin was not so easily deceived.

“For the Karasuma Clan, manipulating footage to that extent is child’s play. Would Karasuma Tenshin truly have so easily abandoned his own son?”

After making that statement, Kim Dojin began to voice his suspicions.

“Most likely, Karasuma Ryota did not die five years ago. It is said that Ishihara Sho, the next strongest after Tenshin in the Karasuma Clan, subdued him, so he must have sustained serious injuries. And when Karasuma Tenshin arrived at the scene… as always, he would have tried to distort the truth to suit his desires.”

“Then…?”

“If Ishihara Sho and his subordinates had not been present at the scene, it’s possible that all witnesses, including you, would have perished at the hands of Karasuma Tenshin. Karasuma Ryota would have lived on, falsely accused of no wrongdoing.”

Misaki Ai stood there, mouth agape in disbelief, while Kim Dojin continued to explain calmly.

“But since Ishihara Sho and his subordinates were there, even Karasuma Tenshin could not act as he wished. The best he could do was to whisk Karasuma Ryota away into hiding and maintain the family’s honor through lies… but that’s where the problem began.”

“The problem being…?”

“That Karasuma Ryota might have concealed a psychic ability to exert mental control over those he marked, or perhaps he overlooked the possibility of awakening later.”

Kim Dojin recalled the magical mark engraved on Karasuma Seishiro’s nape and continued.

“Perhaps, half-mad and imprisoned somewhere, Karasuma Ryota could not restrain his desires and plotted some scheme over the course of four and a half years.”

What that scheme entailed was something Misaki Ai could easily guess.

After creating an opportunity to contact his younger brother, Karasuma Seishiro, he would inscribe his magical mark, seize his body, and live pretending to be Karasuma Seishiro, ultimately claiming Misaki Ai for himself.

“I deduce it to be so, but what do you think?”

At last, Kim Dojin finished his explanation, calmly gazing at Misaki Ai as he sought her opinion.

“Th-that’s…”

Indeed, all circumstances aligned perfectly.

From the moment he had felt subtly different for the past six months to the sudden imposition of a political marriage…

Misaki Ai believed Kim Dojin’s conjecture might hold truth, yet the problem was that this was not the end.

“If that’s truly the case, what should we do now?”

Revealing the truth within Japan, already under the grip of the Karasuma clan, was akin to a death sentence.

To expose the truth and make them pay, one would have to rely on the strength of another faction, yet the forces capable of standing against the Karasuma clan were few and far between, even on a global scale.

Only the likes of the “Top Ten Guilds” or the international superhuman management agency, “Order,” stood above them.

Thus, Misaki Ai felt a sense of despair, but Kim Dojin appeared unfazed.

“Should we report the truth to Order and seek their assistance?”

At her question, Kim Dojin shook his head in response.

“No. Why would you believe that Order would side with you rather than the Karasuma clan?”

“…Huh?”

“It’s best not to believe anything too easily, unless you know it perfectly.”

He wore an expression as if he had learned this through experience.

Misaki Ai found herself momentarily at a loss for words under an inexplicable pressure, before finally speaking again.

“Then is there another way besides that?”

Kim Dojin met her gaze with a serious look and replied.

“Yes. There is a method, though it carries some risk, to deal with Karasuma Ryota more swiftly and surely.”

* * *

“Hmm…”

Kim Dojin sat on the sofa in his hotel room, lost in thought.

He had shared his devised plan with Misaki Ai, yet he still lacked the strength to execute it properly.

The previous missions—rescuing Youngcho and assassinating Fukuda Kazuo—had been premeditated, allowing him to handle them alone, but this operation was different.

It was an unexpected problem that had arisen suddenly, and the opponent was none other than the Karasuma clan.

Attempting to resolve this alone felt reckless, no matter how he considered it.

‘Who could I turn to for help?’

Kim Do-jin kept his mind open to possibilities as he recalled the figures surrounding him.

‘…Special Defense Agency?’

Currently, a few secret agents from the Republic of Korea’s ‘Special Defense Agency,’ including Lee Jin-ryul, were present in this place.

If he could enlist their strength, it would indeed significantly raise the chances of success for this operation.

However, they were agents affiliated with the South Korean government.

Should the operation fail or if they were caught, it could easily escalate into a problem between Korea and Japan.

Moreover, Kim Do-jin did not wish to expose any more information about himself to the ‘Special Defense Agency.’

‘As expected, a pass.’

Next, Kim Do-jin thought of Jin Seo-hyun.

‘Secretary Jin…’

Jin Seo-hyun was currently Kim Do-jin’s personal secretary and bodyguard.

Yet, she was, after all, carrying out her duties under the orders of Kim Mu-ho, which meant, strictly speaking, she was his person.

From Kim Do-jin’s perspective, this implied that there were still uncertainties in fully sharing everything and joining forces.

However… it was an undeniable fact that Jin Seo-hyun was the most trustworthy person to Kim Do-jin at this moment.

‘Though I can’t say she is completely mine yet, I also don’t feel she would turn against me.’

Kim Do-jin vividly remembered how recently Jin Seo-hyun had risked her life to protect him from Kai Renert, an SS-class villain of ‘Levatain.’

Of course, she was one of his clones, but since she possessed the same self as his original, her value could not be diminished.

‘I don’t know why she’s so friendly towards that reckless fool… but for now, that’s enough.’

His contemplation did not last long.

Kim Do-jin decided to confide in Jin Seo-hyun and ask for her help.