Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Midterm Evaluation (3)
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Originally, we had no intention of actively participating in the midterm evaluation.
We just planned to focus on the goal of 'survival' and avoid combat as much as possible.
We aimed simply to avoid elimination.
But then we witnessed the supervising instructors being humiliated in the auditorium.
Their faces flushed with shame, heads bowed low.
For the first time, that sight stirred anger within us.
Of course, we didn't respect or like our supervising instructors.
And why would we? The instructors assigned to us weren't famous heroes like Instructor Kang Cheol-su from Class A.
They were just average instructors—neither particularly strong nor exceptional leaders.
But even so, they were our supervising instructors.
Seeing the vice principal openly humiliate them right in front of us left us feeling resentful and furious.
Of course, we couldn't protest to the vice principal or Instructor Kang Cheol-su.
We were in no position to do anything about it.
But Class A under Instructor Kang Cheol-su was different.
They were students just like us.
So, we formed an unspoken alliance to take down Class A.
As the midterm evaluation began and we were transported to the uninhabited island,
we honored that alliance by not attacking each other.
And to eliminate Class A, we banded together.
Our group grew larger and larger.
With it, our confidence swelled.
Ah, if this keeps up, we can wipe out all of Class A.
We can vent our frustrations on them.
That's what we thought.
Thud. Thud.
"Ambush!"
"Where? Where are they attacking from?!"
"I don't know, I can't tell! Where are the shots coming from... Gah!"
"This isn't an ambush, it's sniping... Argh!"
Until bullets rained down from the sky.
"It's the top student! Top Student Lee Yoo-jin is attacking!"
Park Su-ho, ranked 101st in admissions and leader of Class B, raised the two large shields in his hands overhead and shouted.
One of his classmates, also holding up a round shield to block the bullets, asked him,
"How do you know that?!"
"A friend in Class A told me! The top student can shoot from ultra-long range!"
"You mean a sniper rifle? But the bullets are coming in droves!"
"Of course it's not a sniper rifle!"
Park Su-ho yelled back, then slammed his shield into the ground with a thunk.
At the same time, he activated his skill, 'Guardian of the Earth.'
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Guardian of the Earth Kwaaaa!
The ground surged up around the shield.
It shot up to 5 meters high before bending like taffy into a dome shape.
Park Su-ho shouted at his panicking classmates.
"Everyone, inside!"
At his call, the students taking the full brunt of the bullet storm rushed into the dome he'd created.
The bullets pouring down from above twisted midair as if alive,
veering toward the classmates inside the dome.
Park Su-ho slammed the entrance shut in horror.
Thud-thud-thud-thunk!
Dull impacts echoed from all sides.
"Haa... We survived."
"Whoa, I thought we were done for..."
"What the hell... It's not like we're facing a disaster."
The classmates who'd narrowly escaped death sighed in relief.
Park Su-ho felt the same.
"Hoo... That was close."
They'd almost been wiped out.
"When my Class A friend mentioned it, I thought it was just a joke..."
The bullets actually changing direction?
No, it was more than that.
"They moved like they were alive..."
The bullets maneuvered freely, as if determined to hit their targets.
Of course, they were rubber bullets, not live rounds, but the endless barrage from the sky was terrifying enough for Park Su-ho.
"...I think the bullet rain stopped?"
"Did they run out of ammo?"
"Shouldn't we check?"
Their eyes turned to Park Su-ho.
He wanted to complain—Why me?
But as Class B's leader, he swallowed his gripe, opened the dome's entrance,
pulled out one of the shields stuck in the ground, and stepped outside.
"Whoa... Insane."
The scene outside was pure devastation.
Classmates sprawled across the ground.
Every one of them had lumps on their foreheads and was out cold.
"...One volley took out 80% of the forces gathered here?"
Park Su-ho looked up at the clear, cloudless sky with a stunned expression.
"Top Student... Is he a monster?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Ah, the duration ends right now, of all times."
As Clairvoyance wore off and my vision returned to normal, I let out a sigh of regret.
It was because I'd just swapped the machine gun's magazine for one loaded with 'explosive rounds,' a special ammo type.
"One more second... No, two seconds of Clairvoyance..."
I could've shattered that dome and eliminated everyone inside.
"Well, whatever... I nearly wiped out the largest group gathered."
No need to be too disappointed.
I could use Clairvoyance again in five minutes anyway, and take out the rest then.
"Once only my classmates are left, we can just camp out, right?"
The midterm goal was 'survival,' but did we need to make it hard?
Not with my inventory and infinite item cheat.
I didn't think so.
The monitoring instructors would probably be baffled, maybe even outraged.
But that had nothing to do with me.
The skills they wanted to see in this evaluation?
I'd shown plenty today.
Survival knowledge?
My mere presence on this island was survival knowledge.
With that thought, I opened my inventory
and pulled out a bowl brimming with pork stir-fry rice bowl.
Then the HP bracelet beeped, and a voice spoke.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Top Student Lee Yoo-jin, you have violated the prohibition on outside food. Elimination proceedings... "I haven't. Look here."
I pointed to the edge of the bowl.
Engraved there in stylish lettering: 'Arena Academy.'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ...... Silence from the voice.
But only for a moment.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ...The bowl is approved. But the food... I was prepared for that.
I pulled a recorder from my inventory.
Of course, I showed it was also an Academy product before playing it.
"Wow, this 'Pork Stir-Fry Rice Bowl' is delicious. Who made it?" "...Haha! I made that 'Pork Stir-Fry Rice Bowl.'" "No way, really? So your name is...?" "Ah, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Chef Woo Jae-seong, in charge of this restaurant." "Ah, Chef Woo Jae-seong." That was enough; I stopped the recording.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ...... No response from the HP bracelet.
They were probably flustered.
Serves you right. Should've specified the rules clearly.
I smirked, pulling a spoon from my inventory.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Outside items... "This is an Academy product too."
I showed the spoon's handle.
It bore the same 'Arena Academy' engraving as the bowl.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Haa... Approved... The unidentified instructor sighed heavily and cut the comms.
Hm... Kinda feel bad now.
The instructors monitoring me were probably tearing their hair out.
What I was doing basically mocked the 'survival' goal.
But they couldn't eliminate me; I hadn't broken any rules.
Outside food?
No, Academy-made food.
Outside items?
No, Academy-produced items.
Instructors had no choice but to watch, thanks to the exception clause: 'Academy-produced and issued items are permitted.'
They probably want me to forage for food myself.
Hunting beasts or fishing in the sea would fit the survival theme.
But wasn't this pork stir-fry rice bowl 'foraged' in a survival-themed way?
I stocked up as soon as the midterm notice dropped, so yeah.
Of course, I prepped just in case; I didn't know the goal was 'survival.'
If the guidelines had said 'on-site foraging' instead of 'no outside food,' I'd have hunted beasts or fished as they wanted.
But the wording was sloppy.
So, no fault on my end.
With that, I hooked my arm over the lighthouse railing,
gazed at the blue sea, and dug into the rice bowl.
"Mmm... Absolute nectar."
Rice bowl while admiring the view from the lighthouse.
It was practically gourmet.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 📜 EVALUATION LOG 📜 Day 1:
>50% of Classes B and C eliminated.
>Lee Seo-yeon, Asuka, and Arthur joined.
>I descended the lighthouse and set up four tents. (Academy-produced, no violations.) Day 2:
>70% of Classes B and C eliminated.
>Noah and 30 classmates joined.
>Gave Noah a personal tent, three 10-person tents to the others.
>Shared 'Pork Stir-Fry Rice Bowls' with everyone. (No violations.) Day 3:
>90% of Classes B and C eliminated.
>Spared the remaining 10% under a non-aggression pact.
>50 classmates joined.
>Gave them five 10-person tents.
>Shared 'Bulgogi Rice Bowls' with everyone. (No violations, thanks to recorder.) Day 4:
>Enjoyed 'survival' via 'camping.'
>Hunted beasts as desired, grilled and ate the meat.
>Tough and tasteless, but fulfilled expectations. "Yawn... Day 5 already."
Maybe because it was the final day,
I woke early at dawn and climbed the lighthouse for some fresh air.
"Ah, can't use the hygiene kit; feels grimy."
The hygiene kit counted as 'military rations.'
Sneak it in?
Transfer could handle it somehow.
But I shook my head.
Instructors are probably itching for an excuse. Better not.
I'd basically ruined their midterm,
so the moment I slipped, they'd boot me.
No complacency until the end.
"How do we get back to the Academy, though?"
Like the eliminated kids, via bracelet teleport?
Or by boat?
I scanned around for a harbor.
"Hm... Nothing."
Not visible to the naked eye.
"Time for Clairvoyance."
I activated the skill immediately.
My mind floated upward, and the entire uninhabited island came into view.
'Are Classes B and C okay?'
I checked their positions.
'...All in one spot?'
Red and blue dots clustered at the beach where I'd landed on Day 1.
'Surviving well, I guess.'
Confirmed survivors; time to end Clairvoyance... Wait.
'...What's that?'
Just before deactivating, I spotted something between the red and blue dots.
'...A black dot?'
It was a black dot.
I zoomed in.
The view sharpened rapidly.
Soon, I saw the beach with Classes B and C...
But they all stood dazed, motionless.
And weaving between them was a woman, strolling casually.
A bad feeling hit me.
'This doesn't feel right.'
I zoomed further.
That instant.
"...!"
The woman speaking to the students whipped her head around.
Her eyes met mine precisely.
I recognized her instantly.
The black dot was a Named Fallen.
'...Bewitchment?!'
Bewitchment.
"......"
Bewitchment's lips moved.
Clairvoyance let me see but not hear, so I couldn't make out her words.
But she repeated the same phrase, as if hoping I'd understand.
I zoomed on her mouth, reading the shapes.
'Found... you... all...?'
That moment.
👁️ CLAIRVOYANCE MESSAGE 👁️ "I'll be there soon, so wait for me." A sultry voice echoed in my ear.
It sent an indescribable chill down my spine.
I hurriedly pulled the machine gun from my inventory
and was about to fire when—
Flash!
Clairvoyance ended.
"Of all the times!"
I snarled, slamming the Smart Watch's emergency rescue button.
But...
⚠️ SYSTEM ERROR ⚠️ [Error. Error. Error. Error. Error. Error. Error. Error...]
"Error? It's erroring out?"
The Smart Watch screen glitched and wouldn't respond.
No emergency request, no calls.
I tapped the HP bracelet.
"Instructors! Emergency! Named Fallen, Bewitchment, has appeared on the island!"
Fortunately, a voice replied.
⚙ INSTRUCTOR COMM ⚙ Kzzt! ...Jin! This side... kzzt! Named... Fallen! Kzzt! ...Bew! A bit... kzzt! ...Wait! Kzzzt! "......"
Seemed the Academy was under attack too.
"...Those Named bastards came prepared."
Korea currently had no Transcendents.
The Academy was no exception.
The Divine Sword remained, but as an Apostle fending off extraterrestrial threats, she couldn't move.
In short, we had to hope the Academy resolved things quickly and sent help.
"...I knew the storyline was derailed,"
but this was too much.
Attacking during midterms, not duel season?
I gave a wry smile and raised the machine gun,
firing into the air.
Tat-tat-tat-tat-tang!
Gunfire like thunder roared.
"Wh-what?!"
"What's happening?!"
Sleeping classmates burst from their tents.
And simultaneously.
...Rumble-rumble-ruuuumble!
A world-shattering sound boomed from the sky overhead.
I looked up.
There,
Krzzzzzzt!
a pitch-black rift tore through space.
⚠️ SPECIAL-GRADE THREAT ⚠️ RIFT BREACH