Chapter 100
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Deserted Island Survival (3)
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-But Lee Seongmin, how do you plan to get by?
"I'll make some decent spot to sleep in."
-A sleeping spot is important. I dug into the ground in a secluded corner.
Lee Seojun spoke with a nostalgic expression, as if old memories had surfaced.
I wondered if living like a worm by burrowing into the earth was really something to get sentimental about, but I asked anyway.
"Why'd you stay underground?"
-There are summoned beasts roaming around. Plus, I knew from a prior game that cadets steal points from each other.
"So you hid out of sight."
-Exactly. As you know, I wasn't that strong back then either. Hiding underground and keeping a low profile was my best bet.
Just surviving on the deserted island earned points, so it wasn't a bad choice.
Top ranks were out of reach, of course, but I figured mid-tier was doable, so I asked his ranking.
"What place did you get like that?"
-84th.
Surprisingly, Lee Seojun had placed above the middle.
Hearing 84th made me think of the summoned beasts wandering the island.
"They must not give much for catching them."
If you drop out, half your points are deducted.
If the beasts gave 10-20 points each, even after halving, it'd beat Lee Seojun's score for sure.
-Yeah. 1-3 points each. And if multiple people catch one, even that's split.
"Even with the halving, you'd need over 70 from those beasts to beat you."
Lee Seojun hadn't gotten 84th for nothing.
And hearing that, burrowing underground sounded pretty good.
'Maybe pass it on to Park So-yul later if I run into her.'
I walked quite a ways across the island before settling on a spot.
It had taken nearly two hours, so few would track me here.
"Alright, time to get started."
-How are you going to make it?
"Just a simple house."
With that, I activated [Warlord's Weapon] on a large rock scattered nearby.
I flung it at a suitable tree trunk, and it sliced clean through, toppling the tree.
Thud―
I lifted the fallen tree with [Telekinesis], stripped the branches, and shaped it neatly.
-……That rock cuts better than a decent sword.
"It's infused with my mana."
The mana I'd gained in the 11th world empowered the rock, making short work of a tree.
With one tree done for building material, I repeated the process on the next.
-The instructors would be shocked watching this.
"Oh yeah, you said U Yun-hak's watching with his ability?"
-Yes. But sound doesn't transmit, so speak freely.
"Even without sound, they can read lips."
Lee Seojun said it was fine even with lip-reading.
-It's okay. U Yun-hak's screens are super blurry.
U Yun-hak's innate ability had seemed solid at first, but flaws piled up later.
Still, as a Doomsday Cultist, better stay cautious. I decided to learn more about it.
"Tell me more about his ability."
"Instructor U Yun-hak. Can't we improve the resolution on this?"
In the observation post on the island's outskirts, where instructors gathered, Instructor Kang Ji-hoon grumbled.
Hundreds of screens filled the spacious interior, created by U Yun-hak's innate ability [Area Observation].
"Haha. My ability's limits, I guess. Can't do it."
"If it's lacking, you should train it up."
"I've been trying. But innate abilities don't just improve with effort."
U Yun-hak replied to the hand-to-hand combat instructor Kang Ji-hoon with his usual affable smile.
Outwardly a perpetual fool with the grin, his true thoughts were far different.
'Train it up? Coming from a B-Rank, that's rich.'
For reference, U Yun-hak was also a B-Rank hero, like Kang Ji-hoon.
But U handled torture, while Kang taught combat—the lowest rank among battle instructors—which irked U Yun-hak.
"It's fine. Resolution aside, where else can you monitor every cadet from one spot?"
At that moment, the elegant mana control instructor Yu Na-eun spoke up.
Kang Ji-hoon nodded in agreement at her words.
"Instructor Yu Na-eun's right. Just bear the quality."
U Yun-hak glanced pityingly at Kang before turning back to the screens.
His innate ability [Area Observation] let him designate zones and view them like surveillance cams.
"Anyway, it's going just as expected."
Yu Na-eun scanned the 300 windows U had opened.
Nearly half the cadets had clustered to form bases or hunted summoned beasts together.
"They spread out before the hour was up, then regrouped."
"Reckless cadets. No need to worry."
Cadets thought brief separation reset the timer, but no.
It reset only after exactly two hours, so short splits meant nothing.
Thus, over two hours in, more than half had -2 points from two 1-point deductions each.
"Meanwhile, kids like Cheon Seo-yun and Seo Ji-ho are moving smart, as planned."
Top entrance exam rankers understood the training's goal and operated solo.
"Especially Cadet Lee Seongmin...……doesn't even seem like a cadet."
On one screen, Lee Seongmin summoned an earth spirit to level the ground.
Like a veteran, he'd prepped and now stacked trimmed logs.
"He sure uses spirits well."
Instructor Cha Serin, who'd teleported everyone here, watched his screen.
Cameras recorded all screens, freeing instructors for chit-chat.
"Really? Spirits don't communicate well, though."
Spirits lacked smooth communication, barring detailed orders.
Yet Lee Seongmin's leveled the ground, then filled log gaps with soil.
"I'll ask him later how he manages it."
"No way, Instructor Cha Serin. Ask a cadet?"
"Yes. If needed, even a child."
"Such zeal for knowledge."
Yu Na-eun kept it short.
Frankly, she saw it as laziness seeking answers, not true curiosity.
Crunch, crunch―
"Any peculiarities?"
Instructor Kang Ju-young entered, inquiring.
Instructors rescanned screens before replying to her.
"None."
"Got it. Keep watching anyway."
"Yes, ma'am."
Kang Ju-young nodded, then eyed the screens.
One showed Lee Seongmin building a house without lifting a finger.
'Every ability of his is impressive.'
Including the cooking summon and this one.
Kang Ju-young admired his innate abilities, then checked other cadets.
Kaboom!―
Meanwhile, the fully prepped Villain Alliance struck the Hero Officer Academy.
They obliterated the main gate and guards with explosions, then stormed inside.
"You know to be careful from here? Lorella'll go wild, so move fast and extract."
Della issued brief orders; most Villain Alliance members nodded and scattered.
As they moved, Della turned to Lorella and Lydia.
"Lorella, Lydia—you start too."
"Got it."
Lorella replied calmly despite infiltrating the academy.
She arrogantly crossed her arms, scanned around, and near-commanded:
"Come forth."
Fwssh!―
Crimson-black oval portals spawned around her.
Various sizes, birthing gate monsters from within.
Grrrrowl…….
Monsters fit for A-Rank gates minimum; some even S-Rank elites.
Lorella summoned 60-70 and ordered instantly:
"Rampage freely. Destroy everything in sight."
Rawrroooar!!―
The horde charged the academy buildings at ferocious speed.
Della watched the hulks smash structures, then asked Lydia:
"Lydia, target's location?"
"This way."
Lydia had clocked the vehicle with Kang Ju-young and the healer upon entry.
"It's a ways off."
"Yeah? Let's hustle."
Openly assaulting meant no time to waste.
Soon, heroes from the association, guilds, instructors, and guards would swarm.
"I'll come too."
Lorella, mid-summon, wanted in.
"You too, Lorella? What about here?"
"Monsters are rampaging anyway. I wanna see his face ASAP."
Lorella itched to spot the healer pronto.
Della eyed the wrecking monsters, nodded.
"Fine. We're running—keep up."
"No worries."
Thus, five villains pursued the healer's trail.