The Man with Hypnotic Powers Doesn’t Hold Back the Second Time Around

Chapter 171

It was Friday, marking the end of the grueling finals period.  
Around this time, the academy was usually buzzing with activity—students celebrating the end of exams, lively with excitement.

And with the Academy Festival coming up over the weekend, the energy around campus was even higher. Preparations were underway, ensuring that the academy was anything but quiet.

—That is, as long as nothing happened to dampen the festive spirit.

*Murmurs filled the air.*

"I heard she's seriously injured…."

"They said she was attacked while gathering herbs on a hike to the back mountain."

"Even Ryu Suyeon was there, but there's still no news. Could she be in a coma? I heard even Ryu Suyeon couldn’t heal her."

The usually cheerful campus was subdued, with students and professors exchanging whispers. And every conversation revolved around one topic.

S-Class Rank 4, Korea’s legendary Seol Hayeon, had been attacked.

The incident came just months after the Winter Terror attack. But this time, the pillar of Korea’s awakened society, Seol Hayeon, had suffered serious injuries.

With the Academy Festival looming, no one was in the mood to celebrate. In fact, most assumed the festival would be canceled. The identity of the attacker, the safety of the students and attendees—nothing was certain.

"The whole festival’s ruined now. Do you know how much Cheonhwa invested in this? Ugh, it's so frustrating."

"Shia, is money the issue right now? The chairwoman is on the verge of death…."

Shia and Alice were no exception. They, too, rushed to Yujin, voicing their fears.

"Don’t worry. The Academy Festival will go on."

"…What? But the chairwoman was attacked and is in the ICU! This incident is so big that even BBC put it out as breaking news!"

"I can’t go into detail—it’s classified—but trust me. I’ll carry on her will."

"…?"

Unlike the girls' anxiety, Yujin was calm. He was the only student who knew the full story.

His eyes briefly shifted, focusing on a distant spot—the university hospital he frequently visited for hypnotic therapy sessions. His gaze was directed toward the ICU, where the chairwoman lay.

*He clenched his fist.*

"She entrusted me with her role as association chair. I’ll do what I must."

Yujin’s fingers brushed the special ID of the association chair, which Seol Hayeon had handed to him, granting him significant responsibility and authority.

---

Rewind to Thursday.

Seol Hayeon was in her office, immersed in work.

*The soft sound of pen on paper paused abruptly.*

"…Yujin. It’s coming soon. And it’s strong."

Her hand, which had been signing documents, came to an abrupt stop. Seol Hayeon’s unique ability, the one that made her an S-Class awakened and put Korea on the map as a powerhouse, was her sharp intuition. And it was sounding alarms in her mind.

*If you stay here, you’ll die. Run.*

"Does this mean you’ll lose?"

"…Lose? I won’t even get a chance to fight, kiddo. It’s worse than Winter Terror. I feel like I’m going to wet myself."

"You’re supposed to say you’ll win in these situations."

"I’ve seen too many people die from overestimating themselves. Do you think I’d be that reckless?"

"True."

Despite the ominous feeling, the atmosphere in the chairwoman’s office remained calm. Both Yujin and Seol Hayeon were unfazed, as if they had anticipated this situation.

"So, it’s just as you said."

"Well, it makes sense. Seol Hayeon is the biggest obstacle for Paimon. It only makes sense that he’d try to remove you before making his move."

"Sending an underling this powerful, though… I didn’t expect that."

"It’s probably not as strong as it seems. It’s just that your intuition might be useless against it."

"But for something so dangerous to enter the country without anyone noticing? Even with all the warnings we sent?"

"Paimon’s abilities make it difficult to track. He’s capable of almost everything I am."

"Damn it, rotten scum."

*She began organizing her documents.*

Since Aika was residing at the academy, Paimon’s minion wouldn’t directly invade, but thinking of Paimon’s intentions, it was clear he wouldn’t back down easily.

Better to lure it in by showing vulnerability than to give it free rein to scheme from the shadows. That was the shared sentiment between Yujin and Seol Hayeon.

"How long should I try to hold it off this time?"

"Pardon? Oh, you mean like last time, during Winter Terror?"

"Exactly. It’ll probably be the same. I’ll hang on until the last moment, and then you’ll come save me."

"When you put it that way, it sounds a bit creepy."

"Watch it, you punk. Take this."

*With a flick, Seol Hayeon tossed something to Yujin.*

He caught it effortlessly, looking at the object in his hand.

"This is…."

"It’s the official badge of the Korean Awakened Association chair."

"Wait, I know what it is, but are you sure it’s okay to give it to me?"

For the first time that day, Yujin looked genuinely surprised.

The position of chair of the awakened association—the pinnacle of Seol Hayeon’s achievements—wasn’t one to be taken lightly.

Even serving as her temporary stand-in was a huge responsibility. Leading the Korean awakened community, one of the strongest in the world, was an even greater responsibility than he had anticipated.

*I once thought of assigning you as chair, but ultimately decided against it. You lack the resolve to bear the weight of Korea.*

*That’s why, before my regression, you handed it to someone else, saying it was too heavy for someone like me.*

Yujin’s eyes widened. Unlike in his previous life, his diligence this time had earned her trust, which touched him more than he expected.

"…Don’t worry, I’m not permanently giving you the chair position!"

"Huh?"

"It’s just until I return. Just a weekend trial. I’m not using this as an excuse to offload my position on you."

*She shot him a sly look.*

*Damn, he caught on quickly. Guess I can’t slip it to him that easily.*

Her real plan was to retire by handing him the position for good. If he had known that, the touching moment would’ve shattered. But for now, Yujin accepted it with a smile, tucking the badge away.

It was an unspoken commitment to look after the academy and Korea in her absence.

"Alright. You go ahead. I’ll follow as quickly as I can."

"Take your time. If it notices and tries to escape or cause a scene, we’ll be in real trouble."

*Footsteps echoed as Seol Hayeon turned away.*

She wore a relaxed smile, brimming with her usual confidence.

But beneath it…

*Her hands trembled.*

*Calm down. I can’t show fear in front of a kid half my age.*

But she couldn’t fully hide her terror.

---

The chairwoman made her way to the nearby mountain, dressed like an elderly woman out gathering herbs.

"Oh, Senior. Where are you going?"

"Going to the mountain to get some fresh air. Maybe pick some herbs."

"Shall I accompany you? You should have at least one escort."

"This is peaceful Korea. No need for an escort."

"Well, if you say so. Take care."

No one suspected anything.

Her hobbies didn’t involve hiking, and she didn’t even know how to forage for herbs. But since she said so, they simply accepted it.

*...Damn girl. We’ve been together nearly forty years, and you don’t know that I buy my herbs from the market?*

A bittersweet smile tugged at her lips. This younger colleague, now a professor, had been with her since the early days of the Gate crisis. It stung a little that even she didn’t truly understand her.

Normally, she wouldn’t have let it bother her. She’d just shrug it off, thinking, *Who cares about the boss’s hobbies anyway?*

But right now, Seol Hayeon was walking straight toward death, defying her own intuition. She couldn’t help but feel sentimental.

*Her footsteps grew heavier.*

*Damn scum. One minute, they treat me like a monster, the next, they hail me as a hero. Then they work me to death, saying there’s no one else like me.*

Seol Hayeon climbed the mountain, reflecting on her life and pouring out her grievances as she went.

She used this as a distraction from the tightening fear and the screams of her instincts, urging her to turn back.

"If only someone else had even a fraction of Yujin’s guts…."

She thought of Yujin, who had shown her kindness instead of fear from the very first meeting.

Since she’d met him, life had been surprisingly enjoyable. The way he teased her, calling her an old hag, the way he acted when she occasionally showed him her underwear to fluster him, their shared work in her office—it was all new to her.

*She clenched her fists tightly.*

*All because of that brat, I’m in this mess in my old age. I’m so scared I could faint.*

A slight smile crossed her face as she tightened her fists, replacing fear with determination.

Finally, she reached the mountain summit, under the light of the bright moon.

"———Seol Hayeon."

"…."

*So I wasn’t wrong to feel uneasy. It got here first.*

An opponent she couldn’t hope to resist. She saw a girl with clouded eyes standing before her, unblinking, already watching her.

Their gazes met.

"Hmm? I didn’t expect anyone else to be out on the mountain at this hour."

"Perimeter, 10 kilometers, confirmed. No additional mana responses detected."

"Well, I suppose we should introduce ourselves. My name is Seol Hayeon. And yours…?"

"Why? Seol Hayeon. Extreme stress detected. Heart rate abnormal."

"…."

"According to data, the target may have detected the danger preemptively."

The girl’s neck twisted at an unnatural angle, creaking beyond the normal range of motion.

Her eyes remained fixed on Seol Hayeon.

"Curious. Knowing you’ll die, why did you come?"

"…Who says I’m going to die? I plan to live until I’m old and gray. Better to struggle on this side of the dirt."

"Incorrect. Seol Hayeon. Certain death imminent."

"…Damn it."

Seol Hayeon met the girl’s gaze without flinching. Her intuition was meaningless here—this was an enemy whose proximity alone assured her death, a ticking bomb containing the mana of three S-Class cores.

"Request for backup? Denied. Even if Ninomiya Aika ran here at full speed, this unit’s self-destruction would be faster."

"That does seem likely."

"Question. Knowing this, why did you come?"

"…."

*Clenched her fist.*

*How could I possibly explain that I didn’t want to show fear in front of Yujin? That I almost lost my nerve back there and feel like I’m going to faint now!!*

Her eyes held profound regret.