The Academy's Terminally Ill Side Character Chapter 136: Club Week [1]

After a rollercoaster of chaos, fights, and emotional whiplash, I’d sohow made it to the fourth week at Velcrest Academy.

Which ant...it was almost two months since I ca to this world.

The first month? It was just , myself, and my self-training. The academy was temporarily shut down after Kai Foster’s little terrorist performance. The second month wasn’t exactly peaceful either, it was very stressful because of that Phycopath killer Professor Ethan.

But I managed to stop him, so it’s all good.

And now here we are—Week Four.

A.k.a. Club Week.

Yeah, you heard right. Clubs.

It’s basically a law of the universe that no academy-based story can exist without a club phase. So call it character developnt. So call it filler. I call it: plot with optional drama and hidden dungeon bosses.

In the original [World’s Greatest Hero], this part of the story ca at a pretty bleak ti. The academy’s rep was already in the gutter, so clubs were less about fun and more about proving your worth. Kind of like saying, "Hey, we’re not all traumatized or villains!"

There were clubs for everything—hobbies, combat training, magical research, even a ridiculous club that chased down real-life criminals. And then there was the Student Council.

Ah yes. The infamous student council. The kind of group that gave off "We secretly run the country" vibes. If I rembered correctly, they had way too much authority for students. It was half political faction, half mafia.

You could technically join more than one club, but let’s be honest—three clubs was the absolute limit if you didn’t want to collapse from exhaustion. In the original story, Ryen joined the gaming club and the travel club. Leo? He did the classic protagonist move and made his own club out of nowhere.

And ?

Well, like any seasoned transmigrator who read the original plot, I already knew which club I had to join. No hesitation. No second thoughts. It was tied directly to one of the most important story arcs, and if I missed the timing, I might lose a key opportunity.

Still, I could understand why everyone around was buzzing like bees on sugar.

Club recruitnt week was noisy.

Banner after banner. Students shouting, bribing, flirting, begging. Tables set up all over the courtyard with samples of food, gadgets, and even magical beasts just to attract mbers.

One club was doing a live performance.

Another was offering "free potions with sign-up."

I even passed by a girl trying to summon a spirit with a half-broken ritual circle. It slled like burnt socks.

Honestly, the whole scene reminded more of a festival than a school event.

I sighed as I stepped into the classroom and imdiately regretted my life choices.

Why?

"Loser, which club are you gonna join? Wanna join the cooking club with ?"

Because of her.

Kiera. A.k.a. Miss Buttcheeks.

Despite everything that happened—and everything I did for her—she was still calling loser like it was my actual na. And of course, she was hovering near my desk again.

At least this ti, she wasn’t sitting on it with her butt. Small rcy, I guess.

I ignored her.

I tried to, anyway.

But then ca the follow-up.

"What are you saying?" Ryen piped up from behind , practically bouncing with energy. "Rin is joining the gaming club with ! We’ve got full-dive gas, imrsive quests... it’s going to be sick! Actually, if that’s not your thing, Rin, we could also join the travel club and go on adventures around the world. Just imagine—skyships, ruins, exotic foods—"

Okay, Ryen was one enthusiastic salesman. If this academy thing didn’t work out, he could absolutely sell overpriced potions in the market and make a fortune.

I didn’t even have ti to respond before another voice joined in.

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Leona cut in, clearly annoyed. "Gaming? Traveling? That’s just wasting ti. Rin’s joining the Swordsmanship Club. He needs to get stronger—and we’ve already trained together once, haven’t we?"

Ouch.

I could feel the subtext there. He’s weak. He needs it.

Thanks, Leona. That was subtle.

I thought we’d gotten a little closer after our... not-quite-date. But clearly, I was the only one who rembered it that way.

And the best part? Neither Kiera nor Leona were even in this class.

Yet here they were. Again.

I opened my mouth, tempted to point that out—but held back.

Why?

Because I’m a gentleman. Probably. Maybe. ...Hopefully?

Either way, I didn’t want to cause a scene. The classroom was already buzzing with side conversations, whispers, and way too many eyes on .

I just wanted to survive the day.

That was the goal. Simple. Low effort. Reasonable.

I already knew which club I wanted to join. Had it all figured out days ago, actually. It was the one tied to a hidden questline and—more importantly—a potential legendary weapon. Sothing that would make the grind ahead a lot easier.

But I wasn’t about to say that out loud.

Why? Because the mont I opened my mouth, I’d be bombarded with questions. And there was no way I was giving anyone the "I-know-the-future" speech. Not yet. They’d either call crazy or worse—start following around like I was so prophecy-spouting lunatic.

So instead, I muttered, "Still thinking."

"Still thinking?!" Ryen practically choked. "Rin, this is Club Week! You can’t still be thinking! Do you know what happens to indecisive people during Club Week? They end up in weird niche groups like the Farming Appreciation Society or the Indoor Rock Balancing Club!"

Kiera scoffed. "Honestly, better than joining whatever ss you’re recruiting for."

"My club," Ryen said, puffing out his chest, "is going to have everything. Snacks, gaming, a VR tower with full-sensory enchantnts. We’re building the future of recreational magic!"

Kiera raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Sounds like a creep convention."

Oof. That was harsh. Even by her standards.

At least this ti, the insult wasn’t directed at . Small victories.

Still... thank the stars Nora wasn’t around.

If she’d been here to hear that, Kiera would’ve ended up in the infirmary by tomorrow. And not from anything obvious, no—Nora would give her the kind of psychological breakdown you don’t recover from. I could already imagine the fake smile, the polite venom, the guilt-tripping so layered it should be taught in villain classes.

Kiera would have PTSD for sure

Just thinking about it gave chills.

Before the situation could escalate any further, an unwelco voice joined in.

"Excuse ."

I turned. "Leo?"

"I overheard your conversation," Leo said, striding toward us with that calm, calculated smile of his. "And I’ve decided it’s only logical for to join."

...Join what?

Kiera took a step back the mont Leo got close, eyes flickering with sothing complicated. She wouldn’t admit it, but she clearly had a thing for him. Unfortunately for her, Leo was... well, Leo. Not exactly the type to notice or care.

"Unfortunately," he continued, "Rin can’t join the gaming club."

Ryen blinked. "What? Why?"

"Because the club I’m founding will focus on monster hunting. Its activities will conflict with any other combat or field-related clubs. Especially ones as... unstructured as yours."

Ryen looked absolutely crushed.

"You’re making a club with Leo...?" he asked, turning to with an expression like I’d kicked his puppy, stolen his lunch, and dated his sister all at once.

"I’m not," I said flatly.

Didn’t matter.

Everyone was already looking at like I’d just announced I was transferring schools and never coming back. Their eyes were full of betrayal, confusion, and maybe just a little bit of over-the-top lodrama.

I sighed.

All I wanted was to quietly join a useful club, avoid drama, and not die.

Clearly, that was too much to ask but Leo didn’t flinch.

He didn’t look surprised.

He simply narrowed his eyes at with that calm, unnerving certainty that only soone like him could pull off and said,

"You will join."

Ah. Of course.

The classic protagonist move.

I didn’t know what kind of power fantasy he thought this was, but I was about one "fate has chosen you" away from slapping him with a mana-suppressed dictionary.

I gave him a flat stare. "No. I won’t."

Leo didn’t blink. "Yes. You will."

This wasn’t a conversation anymore. This was a chess ga where he’d already made the final move and was just waiting for to accept checkmate.

Kiera, sensing the tension, stepped back—slowly, like she was backing away from a bomb about to go off.

Ryen? He was watching with wide, stunned eyes and half a granola bar sticking out of his mouth. Completely useless.

I crossed my arms. "Why do you even care what club I join?"

Leo looked dead in the eyes. "Because it’s necessary."

...Huh.

No explanation? No threats? No dramatic flair?

Just necessary?

That word sat uncomfortably in the air between us.

"For what?" I asked.

"For what cos next," he said simply, as if that clarified anything.

Spoiler: it didn’t.

Before I could shoot back, Leona suddenly spoke up. "Wait, wait, wait. Since when do you get to decide who joins what club? Rin doesn’t belong to you, Leo."

Leo turned his gaze to her. "He’s stronger than he thinks. And you know it."

Leona flinched.

It was quick. Barely noticeable. But I saw it.

I frowned.

"You say that like it’s a complint," I muttered. "But it sounds like a threat."

Leo didn’t deny it.

"I’m just stating facts. I’m building a team. And Rin is part of it."

"And I like I said, Rin is not so kind of objects that belongs to you."

Leona intervened again, this ti more angerir then before.

----

Author Note:-

Just one Chapter today. Been busy but tomorrow will be mass release and for that I have to write more then I would daily! Hopefully I would able to complete my goal!

thanks for reading!