Instilling Fear on the Isolated Isle

All I could see around me was sand, rocks, and a gray sea stretching to the horizon.

"......Where the hell is this?"

The other kids nearby were already plunged into chaos, looking utterly bewildered. Not that I could blame them—who would've expected to get suddenly flung to some remote spot like this?

Anyone except me, that is.

"That damn instructor......"

The yellow-haired punk next to me was biting his lip, scanning the surroundings. Oh? Was the wannabe hero actually observing his environment?

"Shit! Why ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠isn't the internet working?!"

......Nope. He was just pissed about no signal.

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A few others seemed to be seriously trying to figure out where we were, but I could already deduce our location from the deep gray hue of the surrounding sea and the angle of the rising sun.

"The West Sea."

More precisely, a remote island off the Korean Peninsula in the West Sea. It was one of those random events that popped up in the academy's first class.

At the same time, my smartphone chimed with an alarm.

"......Main story?"

That was the clue. City of Seoul's endings focused on living out the character's life. And this main story pointed straight to becoming the emperor of the underworld.

Follow it, and the hints would come.

"Hey, you."

As I mulled that over, the yellow-haired punk approached with a smug grin.

"Why're you fiddling with that lame phone dictionary at a time like this? Got tips on surviving on a deserted island or something?"

He glanced at my smartphone and muttered. Dictionary?

"You think this looks like a dictionary?"

"What else? Some academic journal? Figures you'd be chill reading that crap right now. Hey, forget that junk—I've got some important info for you......"

He flashed a sleazy smile.

"Info?"

I raised an eyebrow, and he grinned wider.

"Yeah! Info. That reef over there? I've seen it before in the West Sea. So, we're in the West Sea!"

Info I already knew. And that crazy instructor—dumping us out here in the West Sea and telling us to be back by 4 p.m.? Even more ridiculous now that it was happening.

"But get this. I'm from Incheon, so I've got connections around the West Sea. You look loaded from earlier—what do you say?"

What nonsense was this guy spouting?

"One million credits. Or a thousand bucks. I'll get you on the boat too. Gotta pay the fishermen, so I don't get much cut. Look over there."

He pointed to one side of the island, where other kids were huddled in some weird meeting.

"You don't wanna end up with those guys, right? Ride with me, and we'll make it back to the academy by 4, easy. Nice and comfy."

I stared at him flatly.

"What's your name?"

"Huh? Name? Jinwoo Bivalt. Bivalt's the family name. Wait, you asking 'cause that instructor made us do introductions?"

Jinwoo Bivalt. Figured he wasn't full Korean. An immigrant family, probably.

And Bivalt......

"You with the Famiglia?"

I asked deadpan, and his eyes went wide before he slapped my back.

"Whoa, you look mixed, but you're in that crowd too? Then we speak the same language. Yeah, I'm from the Bivalt Famiglia under the Calione family. This'll be easier than I thought!"

So those "fishermen" he mentioned were probably Calione affiliates.

As I processed that, he slung an arm over my shoulder.

"If you're one of us, better play nice with me. I might hook you up with a spot. Kehahaha!"

I shrugged off his arm without a word and headed toward the group of kids.

"Oh, you here to help?"

The glasses guy overseeing them spoke up as I approached.

"Just curious about the plan."

He smiled thinly.

"You'll like it. You know this is a deserted island in the West Sea, right?"

I nodded.

"Lucky for us, one of us knows a bit of spatial magic."

He gestured to a girl who bowed shyly.

"Just...... a little. Oh! I'm Sea-a Kim."

No need for full names, so I read her name tag.

"......Eugene Han Calione. And?"

I brushed off the greeting and turned back to glasses.

"According to Sea-a, if we supplement her mana with mana stones, we can portal back. The issue is......"

"Where to get mana stones on this deserted island."

"Spot on. That's the problem. With mana stones, we could all make it back by 4."

Glasses spoke gravely. Then, three kids ran up yelling from the distance.

"There's a goblin dungeon here!"

"Dungeon? Wait—dungeons have mana stones! Did Instructor Ji Suhyun plan for this too?"

Glasses grinned at the discovery. I smiled too.

Goblins—the perfect starter mob to test your specs. How far would my power go?

Adrenaline surged. The real story was finally kicking off.

In front of the Calione mansion, at the smoking area, Parnello Ramichi—Don Vito Calione's right-hand man—and other family members were chatting.

"Sigh."

Parnello sighed. A first for him—one guy asked,

"Mr. Parnello sighing? Worried about the young master?"

Parnello exhaled smoke, glancing up.

"That obvious?"

"It's written all over your face: 'Worried about the young master.'"

The others laughed. Parnello chuckled along.

"Hahaha! Good eye. Our young master, raised in the Calione family his whole life—now at the academy. How could I not worry?"

Another chimed in consolingly.

"But he's the Calione heir. No way he gets pushed around."

Parnello sighed deeper.

"Sigh, you think I don't know that? That's not what I'm worried about."

He stubbed out his cigarette. His hand was wrapped in a plaster cast.

"Even raised in the Calione family, he's the boss's son. Just hope he doesn't cause a scene on day one."

A strange, expectant smile crept across Parnello's face.

"......What the hell."

Glasses behind me muttered in a trembling voice. Can't blame him—this sight would shake anyone.

"Kieeeek......"

"Shut up."

I crushed the goblin's head in my grip. A sickening crunch filled my palm.

"Filthy bugs."

I hurled the head at another goblin and stomped it flat.

"Should've brought a gun."

I shook off my hand and turned.

"This enough?"

"......Y-yeah...... plenty."

Fourteen goblin corpses littered around me—twisted, shattered, burst open. More than I'd expected for my first real fight.

'Plenty passing grade. Won't get beat up out there—relieved.'

I'd once landed a hit on Parnello during training. He treated me like a kid, but still—that old man's a monster. Proved it wasn't me sucking; he was just that strong.

But even his training alone wouldn't yield this. Proof?

A bloodline ability unlocked after getting pummeled bloody in Parnello's training. Bloodlines usually came from other races, monsters, or special clans. Never dreamed the Calione family had one.

A berserker ability, specialized for mowing down fodder.

"That psycho's checking his phone with blood all over his hands......!"

Someone whispered behind me. Guess that's how it looked to them.

My phone buzzed. An alarm.

Apparently, that display alone instilled fear.

'Unexpected bonus.'

In the original story, you'd gather mana stones from goblins and escape together. But this was a ranked exam—no need to play nice.

Time for a shortcut.

Up ahead, Sea-a was talking to the group.

"I'll backtrack the magic traces to reopen the portal that brought us here. It's the instructor's, so it'll take time to analyze...... but we can all get back."

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"How long to analyze?"

Glasses asked. Sea-a spread her fingers.

"Five hours with these mana stones. It's 10 a.m. now—we'll make 4 p.m."

The others brightened. One issue, though.

"The rest of you aren't doing jack?"

They'd barely lifted a finger—just watched.

I glared. "More mana stones would speed it up, right?"

"Y-yes?"

I turned and headed back to the dungeon.

"H-hey, where you going?"

One kid yelled.

After hearing that?

"You gonna twiddle thumbs for five hours?"

"What?"

"Hunt one more goblin instead of standing around. You're academy cadets, aren't you?"

I walked off. Murmurs rose behind me, then footsteps followed.

"Yeah, we're academy cadets!"

"This is academy training, right? Let's go!"

Everyone except Sea-a and her guards trailed me.

Goblins were the weakest monsters, but for these kids' first real fight, killing a living thing wouldn't be easy.

But violence is infectious.

Inside the dungeon, I grabbed the first goblin's head and smashed it against the wall.

"Kiit!"

It screamed as I crushed it flat. Next one's skull I slammed down, compressing it vertically. The last collapsed in terror—bloodline effect.

Crunch! Stomped dead.

I turned to the stunned kids.

"......"

Shocked faces after the brutal triple kill.

"Just gonna watch?"

I shook goblin blood from my hands, mocking to motivate.

"......How much more spoon-feeding?"

That flipped their fear to rage.

"Kill 'em all!"

"Let's get back quick!"

"Wipe 'em out!"

Proper fear motivates; overwhelming fear drives madness. This should suffice.

I stepped out.

"You're stronger than you look."

The yellow-haired punk—Jinwoo—approached, arms crossed. He hadn't entered.

"Wanna team up? Handy backup like you would be nice."

Still thought I'd boat with him.

"No need. Time for me to head out."

I ignored his pitch and pulled out my emergency sat phone—clunky with antenna.

He snickered.

"That thing work? No towers nearby."

Dial tone. Connected.

"Where you at?"

"Got it."

Hung up. Looked skyward. Jinwoo gawked.

"Wait—that a sat phone?"

I nodded, pocketed it. He stared, awed.

"Carrying a sat phone but no cash for me? Just take the boat."

I brushed him off and pointed seaward.

"I'm taking that."

"Huh? That?"

Chopper blades thrummed in the distance. Why gather mana stones when I knew this was coming? As underworld heir, money was no object.

"A helicopter?!"

Jinwoo's face hardened at the approaching chopper. Didn't expect it here.

I strolled to the landing beach, ignoring him.

"Sorry for the wait, young master."

Han Seojun stepped out, offering a hand. I nodded, boarded.

"Hey! Hey! Take me too! We're friends, right?!"

Jinwoo clung; Seojun blocked him.

"Step back."

"Wait—hey?! He's really going?!"

Blades whirred louder. As we lifted, Jinwoo's stunned face shrank below.

Wanted to take ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him, but no room in this light chopper. He'd escape on his own, anyway.

Especially since......

'He should handle this much.'

Not average—time to test if he was hiding something, as a Calione affiliate.

Almost forgot—I leaned out.

"Tell them to use the mana stones from the goblins I killed however."

"What? Hey!"

I smirked at Jinwoo and sat back. We climbed.

Through the window, the group—still reconstructing coordinates—watched us go.

Wonder how the main story shook out.

My phone buzzed nonstop. I smiled, leaning back as the chopper flew toward the academy.

An empty classroom. A woman watched the island via hologram projection.

"Whoa, that kid's a total nutjob."

Ji Suhyun, who'd left coordinates for their return.

She knew about the goblin dungeon. This OT was meant for teamwork—but he'd flexed hard, then bailed on a chopper like his job was done.

"Monster comprehension, hand-to-hand, street-smart personality, and fear domination......"

Eugene's initial goblin slaughter was genius. Knowing their cowardice, he butchered them brutally. Survivors trembled like kids.

Then one-sided massacre. Instilling fear in the students too—just like his old man.

"The boss's son, alright."

Ji Suhyun chuckled, switching screens.

"Huh? Damn. This semester's packed with wildcards."

She grinned wickedly.