A Month of Hell (3)
A Month of Hell (3)
-P-Professor Jaden, in one hit...?!
-What happened? What's going on?
-Is that old man a professor from another academy too?
I deliberately made it just a little weaker than the main body, yet that idiot got knocked out cold by a staff thrown by his own master's summoned clone.
'Not even worth a crumb.'
Even if he couldn't win, I expected him to at least show the kids something useful. To collapse so miserably like this...
"Get rid of him."
Crystal moved Jaden to the waiting room along with the clone.
【But isn't a month too short?】
A crystal-clear female voice sounded right beside me.
【I'm not so sure about our Wolfie, but the rest of them are going to have a hard time~】
Vuar, manifested in the form of a child, approached with a playful smile.
【Heave-ho~】
The mass of power climbed onto my lap.
I was desperate to banish the creature from this place immediately, but since he held a considerable stake in this space as well, I couldn't bring myself to act on it.
【A new child has gone down.】
After collecting myself, I shifted my gaze from the back of the bastard's head down to the arena floor.
Cheon Ji-ho stepped onto the platform, struggling to hide his tension.
And then.
―A Glacial Tiger...?!
At the appearance of the four-legged beast draped in ice shards as beautiful as jewels, Cheon Ji-ho immediately drew the sword at his waist.
【A monster that took his arm... you're quite something, aren't you?】
I ignored Vuar's chattering on my lap and focused downward.
-Kgh?!
He managed to block the glacial tail swung like a whip with his sword, but he couldn't deflect the force and ended up tumbling across the floor.
It's in a weakened state compared to the real thing that appears in the rift, but the same goes for Cheon Ji-ho.
No matter how weakened it was, the likelihood of Cheon Ji-ho, whose skills have declined, subjugating the Glacial Tiger in one go is infinitely low. Even in his prime, he only barely succeeded in hunting it after losing an arm.
-Kyaaak?!
-P-Professor!!
-Shit...!!
Loud and small screams erupted from the students as Cheon Ji-ho, who had been fending off the claws and fangs somehow, had his body ruthlessly pierced by the ice shards shot by the Glacial Tiger.
【Tsk tsk, at least I tell them the rules before we start~ You're more vicious than I am!!】
"Get rid of it."
Ignoring Vuar's words, I ordered Crystal.
Soon after, the fallen Cheon Ji-ho and the Glacial Tiger disappeared from the arena.
【Hey~ Heeey?】
Poke. Poke, poke. Poke, poke, poke.
"...."
【Ah~ Now you're looking at me!!】
The damned bastard who had been rudely poking my cheek smiled faintly and sat back down on my lap.
"...I really wish you'd shut that mouth of yours."
【Hmm~ Then let's make a bet!!】
"I won't."
【Ah, why not!!】
He yelled, suddenly lying flat on my thighs and thrashing his short limbs around mercilessly.
【Bet! Bet with me!! If you don't, I'll take back all the Authority!!】
One day, when the chance arises, I definitely have to eliminate this one too.
"...What kind of bet do you want to make?"
【Whether or not those kids can escape this place within a month.】
As if he'd never thrown a tantrum, he sat on my thighs in a prim posture and beamed at me.
【I'm betting on them being able to, and I'll wager our dear Claire's secret private life!!】
Just a moment ago, he was asking if a month wasn't too short. Now he bets on the opposite side.
If it wasn't for the form of a child, I would have ripped his shape apart on the spot.
Goddamn bastard.
**
"H-Huuaaagh...?!"
Cheon Ji-ho expelled a deep breath and jolted upright.
Using his one remaining arm, he fumbled around his body.
"A-Am I alive...?"
His heart had definitely been pierced and killed by those ice shards.
But he couldn't find any trace of it anywhere on his chest.
'An illusion...? No, that's not it.'
The weight he felt on his sword.
The thick killing intent that made his skin tingle.
More than anything, the horrifying pain transmitted when his heart was pierced.
"Haah, I don't know what's what anymore...."
Quickly regaining his composure, Cheon Ji-ho confirmed that the place he had opened his eyes in was the waiting room.
And then.
"...."
"...."
Professor Jaden, lying face down a short distance away.
'He seems to be awake though....'
Jaden's breathing was unsteady, and his heart rate was gradually rising.
'It's probably right to pretend I didn't notice.'
Recalling the image of Jaden being knocked unconscious by the staff the old man threw, Cheon Ji-ho stood up for now.
Since the students were clearly very startled, Cheon Ji-ho left the clearly awake Jaden behind and exited the waiting room.
"P-Professor?!"
"What, huh, how are you fine?"
"This bastard?"
"Aack!!"
Cheon Ji-ho approached the students who were reacting in various ways upon seeing him.
"W-Well, I'm perfectly fine, so please relax, everyone. Professor Jaden is also unharmed."
"Professor Jaden? Well."
"All that happened to him was getting hit by a staff, so of course he's fine."
"Hmm...."
Feeling like he had unnecessarily stirred the pot, Cheon Ji-ho quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem! P-Please focus, everyone. I will share what we have newly discovered."
Since he was the only one with proper data, it was actually closer to a guess. But considering that this wasn't a real rift but an artificial one, he spoke with a bit more confidence.
"First, inside the arena, you seem to take damage just like in reality. However, if you lose or forfeit and are moved to the waiting room, the wounds appear to heal. I'm not sure what the principle is, though."
"So, you're saying that even if your heart is pierced down there, you won't actually die."
Cheon Ji-ho nodded in answer to Yoon I-seul's question.
"It seems so. After all, here I am, standing perfectly clean and chatting with all of you."
At his answer, Yoon I-seul nodded and looked at Baek Ha-na, who was standing a short distance away.
As if sensing her gaze, Baek Ha-na's blue eyes also turned toward Yoon I-seul.
The two silently exchanged glances for a while.
"...Then, it would be best to defeat as many as we can, up to the maximum, and solve the immediate issue of food first."
Baek Ha-na looked away first and spoke.
"We might also find out something new. So...."
The shadow at Yoon I-seul's feet writhed.
"Hurry up and move, as the Queen commands."
Just then, everyone's eyes turned to Kang Seok-ho.
It was because he was the lowest-ranked among the students who hadn't challenged it yet.
"Huh, h-huh...?"
"Don't space out, get moving."
Swoooosh──!!
"Uwaaaaagh?!"
Kang Seok-ho was sent flying a little too high.
The students swallowed dryly and quietly began to line up in order of rank.
·
·
·
The sun, which had seemed like it would never set, finally went down.
"Ha-na, they said to come in since the meeting is starting."
"Okay."
Baek Ha-na, who had been gazing at the night sky far more beautiful than the real one, turned around and headed to the waiting room with Nam Seo-hee.
"Baek Ha-na, here."
"....?"
As she sat, Na Ju-hee from behind held out a chocolate bar.
"...I'll eat it well."
"Hm-hmm, good."
As Baek Ha-na readily took the chocolate, Na Ju-hee made a slightly smug expression and glanced sideways at Nam Seo-hee.
-Don't try any funny business.
-It's pure goodwill, you know?
-Bullshit.
-...?!
As the two girls moved their mouths in a silent squabble.
"Ehem, first of all, great work today, everyone. You all worked very hard."
Jaden, who had a small lump on the back of his head, coughed lightly and drew the students' attention.
The reason was unknown, but he was the only one whose wounds from the spar hadn't healed.
"First, let's organize what we have discovered so far."
Jaden gathered mana at his fingertips and wrote down the notes in the air with embroidered blue flames.
『1. Wounds sustained in the spar are healed upon moving to the waiting room.
2. The sparring opponent is the same regardless of rank.
3. Defeating the 1st rank changes the sparring opponents to students of the next academy.
4. The exact conditions are unknown, but forfeiting or losing does not necessitate starting from the very beginning. (Save feature)
5. Food and some snacks are provided based on performance.
6. You cannot leave the audience seating while a spar is in progress.』
Baek Ha-na lightly scanned the blue text filling the air and crunched on the chocolate like a squirrel.
"Since daily necessities like bedding and toiletries are prepared, let's not be too hasty and take our time clearing this."
Some answered weakly, and the rest just nodded.
It wasn't late, but the sudden environmental change combined with mental fatigue rapidly drained their stamina.
"Starting tomorrow, Professor Cheon Ji-ho and I will provide full support, so let's turn in early for tomorrow."
"Okay, we'll turn off the lights soon. Men, lay your bedding on the upper side, women on the lower side."
Following the two professors' instructions, the students split into upper and lower sides, spread their blankets, and lay down.
"Y-You...."
"Hmph."
Nestled smugly in Baek Ha-na's arms, Nam Seo-hee slightly poked her head out over her shoulder, sneering at Na Ju-hee, who was flustered and twitching her lips, before hiding back in Ha-na's embrace.
"Lights out."
Darkness fell upon the once bright waiting room.
Before long, steady breathing could be heard here and there, and Jaden and Cheon Ji-ho quietly stepped outside.
"Do you think it will be possible within a month?"
"If we had only brought students Baek Ha-na, Yoon I-seul, and Nam Seo-hee, it would be more than enough... but I think it will be difficult."
Jaden nodded at Cheon Ji-ho's answer.
"Professor Baek probably put us in here knowing that as well."
"He must have, right?"
"Yes. So, we need to help the students grow reliably, even if it's slow, so they don't become impatient."
"Ha, haha.... I showed a shameful sight in the morning, so I'll have to work hard to make up for it."
"Krehem!!"
Jaden let out a small fake cough.
"By the way, who is that old man?"
"...He's my master."
"Ah... I see...."
"More importantly, Professor Cheon Ji-ho, what happened to you?"
"I... Glacial...."
Looking up at the night sky embroidered with jewel-like glittering stars, Jaden and Cheon Ji-ho gradually exchanged stories about each other.
It was a sense of ease that arose as their burden lessened, since there was enough food and daily necessities that they had nothing to worry about.
Shhh.
"H-Huugh?!"
"U-huuu...."
The two shivered from the sudden cold wind that blew in.
"...Sh-Should we go back inside too?"
"Y-yeah... I think that's for the best."
Rubbing the goosebumps on their forearms, Jaden and Cheon Ji-ho went back into the waiting room.
·
·
·
Exactly the next day.
Baek Ha-na was the first to enter the arena, defeated the second opponent—Italy's top ranker—and then forfeited.
"....?"
Baek Ha-na blinked blankly, looking at the things that had somehow ended up in her hand.
[ Perfect Protein Bar ]
Forget about instant food and snacks—some strange thing was in her hand.