Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Discord
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"Where are you going?"
A faint dawn light was breaking through.
I turned at the voice calling from behind, and there stood a female student with a long ponytail, watching me.
It was Kang Hye-rin.
Daughter of a real estate conglomerate. Strict, with firm personal standards... a tough woman for a girl.
"It's hotter during the day."
"Hotter?"
"...I'm scouting around now. Might as well check for anything that could substitute as food."
Kang Hye-rin approached, stretching her neck and wrists. I stepped aside slightly and asked back.
"What about you?"
"Dawn training for me. Even one day off, and my body feels off."
Her family was real estate tycoons, but they were also descendants of a renowned martial arts clan.
That was why she took her training so seriously.
"Follow me."
Kang Hye-rin ran past me and called out.
She didn't wait for my answer.
Whew.
I followed her, running straight after. Running at this early hour... My body, abused yesterday, screamed in protest.
'Think of it as doing today's daily quest.'
Daily Quest 1: Travel 10km. (0.912/10km)
After midnight, the daily quest reset.
That meant I had to meet that quota once a day anyway.
I rolled my shoulders.
'Still, moving around is loosening up this stiff body from last night.'
Yesterday's overexertion had left me wrecked.
Muscles rigid and unresponsive, head foggy.
But once I started running, the stiffness melted away quickly. My steps lightened.
Still, my expression didn't brighten.
'No way she does this every day.'
They say never say never.
Kang Hye-rin, running ahead, stopped and said,
"I searched the plane top to bottom yesterday. No sticks. So we'll have to procure some on-site today."
"......"
"What're you spacing out for? Go grab something usable over there."
Of course.
"Grab something weird and you're dead. Make it sturdy. And don't forget two of them."
And under the guise of sparring, I got beaten senseless.
"Is that all a guy's got?!"
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.
"I! Hate! Weak! Guys! Got it! Or not?!"
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.
I blocked at first somehow, but no way a regular guy could handle a warmed-up martial artist.
The seventh leg strike dropped me, and then merciless blows rained down.
"Get up! Get up, I said! Don't just block—attack!"
Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack!
About two minutes of that thorough thrashing later, she dropped a wooden stick in front of me.
"Feels good in the grip. Keep it. We'll use it tomorrow too."
Then she turned and left alone.
Peeling off her top, her bra flapping front and back.
I groaned for a while before lifting my head.
'Gone?'
Weak creatures have their own ways to survive.
Even pheasant chicks cover themselves in leaves and stay still when chased.
This beating disguised as sparring had happened almost daily for three years, and to escape the pain even a little sooner, I'd learned my own survival tactic.
This was it.
Take a few hits, then play dead.
'She's gone.'
I pushed up from prone and flopped onto my back.
Yesterday's ordeal, early morning run, and now this beating...
But oddly, I felt good.
A laugh slipped out.
'I'll pay you back someday.'
I resolved that, staring at the status window before me.
Remaining Points: 3
1 point from completing yesterday's daily quest.
1 point from the first quest completion bonus.
And 1 more just now from today's daily quest, totaling 3.
But recalling what points were for, I let out a small groan.
"Whew."
Points were less useful than I'd thought.
With stats in the status window, I'd assumed points would boost abilities—like in an RPG.
Strength, agility, whatever.
That I'd pump up my body as I wanted with quest-earned points...
No such luck.
Too naive, too obvious.
After getting points, I'd eyed the [+] icons popping up around the status window.
'So points are for upgrades and unlocks, huh?'
Targets included status window, quests, skills, etc.
Specific examples:
[Status Window] → Codex Unlock → Locked
Codex (20 points): Records all successfully hunted targets. View various info.
Unlock the front to access the locked back—tiered structure.
Sometimes multiple choices:
[Daily Quest]
→ Difficulty Increase (10 points)
→ Daily Attempts Increase (10 points)
[Danger Detection]
→ +1 Stamina Cost Reduction (10 points)
→ +1 Ability Enhancement (10 points)
→ +1 Range (10 points)
Nothing immediately useful.
What I desperately needed was food.
Self-sufficiency for food meant guaranteeing tomorrow.
Our remaining rations: barely 19 days at best.
For me, maybe even less.
I opened the inventory window.
'Should I use it now?'
The single slot held a golden box alone. The Transcendent Random Box from my privilege.
Held off opening since I didn't know what it'd spit out.
Put it in inventory? But the space was smaller than expected—big items wouldn't fit.
If a huge item popped out, cleanup would be impossible.
'At least to open this, I need to be strong enough not to have the kids steal the contents.'
Or scout a good hiding spot beforehand.
I turned to gaze at the distant cliff. Too far—even a full day hike might not reach it.
'Way too far.'
I turned to the forest this time.
Shaaa—
The dark-shadowed woods swayed occasionally in the dawn breeze.
Dense trees perfect for hiding something.
After yesterday's snake incident, no one bold enough to venture in.
Maybe only someone with Danger Detection like me could manage.
But I shook my head.
'No reckless moves.'
Didn't I just watch gym bro die overconfident in his abilities?
No need to rush.
Revenge, messing with them—all that requires surviving first.
I shook my head firmly and headed back to the group.
"Ah, so what?!"
By the time I returned, someone was raising their voice.
Kang Hye-rin and Park Jimin.
"I told you before. Don't touch my stuff without asking."
"You think now's the same as then? I would've used mine if I had any!"
"Then why use mine? And if you're gonna, at least ask first—basic manners?"
"Ah, come on! I'll buy you some! Like, a hundred boxes later!"
I could see the situation roughly.
Park Jimin had a habit of using others' things like her own.
Always caused trouble, and the ridiculous part was she'd yell louder after.
Hence her nickname: "Psycho."
"Ha. You psycho bitch. High on something this morning?"
"Fuck off, you baby-cunt."
"!!"
"Grown some pubes yet? Huh? Or still bald as a newborn?"
Ooh. A few guys chuckled; Kang Hye-rin's cheeks twitched.
"...I told you not to say that."
"Oops. Did I? Then how about your tits? Sister Hye-rin's got inverted nip—"
Kang Hye-rin lunged, grabbed Park Jimin, and slammed her down in a fireman's carry.
"!!"
Park Jimin flew airborne, crashing onto the beach.
"Guh."
Kang Hye-rin mainly practiced swordsmanship, but in modern times, few stuck to one art.
She lifted and dropped Park Jimin flawlessly, in an instant.
"You, fucking...!"
She'd controlled her strength— or the sand cushioned it— as Park Jimin sprang up, veins bulging in her neck.
"Kang Hye-rin, you fucking psycho!"
"Psycho's you. I warned you not to say it."
"Yeah. Wanna go?"
Park Jimin grabbed Kang Hye-rin's hair. Kang Hye-rin seized her throat.
About to devolve into a full catfight, when someone stepped between them.
"Guys. How about we stop here?"
They froze.
It's over.
I thought that, eyeing the woman who'd intervened.
"...Yoo Hana."
Yoo Hana.
Even among our class's beauties, she stood out most.
Doll-like face, ombre highlights with fantasy flair— Daehan International High's goddess.
Some called her elf-like.
But in this chaebol group, looks alone wouldn't silence those two.
Yoo Hana was heiress to a major fashion brand; her grandfather, a top-five conglomerate chairman.
Also Kim Jaejun's fiancée— leader of the guys.
Few here could raise their voice to her.
Diamond tiers varied.
Park Jimin approached her, whining.
"Hana. Hear me out. Is this worth the fuss over one makeup borrow? Acting all petty like commoners?"
"Jimin."
"Yeah?"
"Cut the low-class crap. You're annoying me."
"Huh?"
Yoo Hana clasped Park Jimin's hands warmly, smiling softly.
"I warned you then, when you took my stuff without asking. One more time in my sight, and no nice words."
"......"
"Stop embarrassing yourself. Apologize to Hye-rin. You're at fault, idiot."
Park Jimin's face flushed red-purple.
She whipped around to Kang Hye-rin, muttered "Sorry," and stormed off fuming.
A moment showing Yoo Hana's real power.
That psycho backing down just like that.
'Man, so full of energy. Some of us are dying from soreness, but she's fight-ready at dawn.'
I plopped down to rest, but Kim Taehun approached, nodding toward her.
"Hey. Go after Jimin. Block her if she pulls something."
"......"
...Guys or girls, no break ever.
I dusted off and chased Park Jimin. Her energy had her out of sight already.
'Gotta get self-sufficient and go independent ASAP.'
I grumbled inwardly, following her.
With no clue what would happen soon.