Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Survival Exam (9)
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"I'm hungry..."
"Don't talk about it since I'm hungry too. It's a waste of energy."
Wednesday. The third day's morning dawned, and the cadets were starting to reach their limits.
There were plenty of edible plants and animals on the uninhabited island, but that also meant plenty of competitors.
Countless carnivorous beasts and monsters, plus fellow cadets, were all hunting for food.
"Hey, isn't that a wild boar?"
"Shh. Let's go check it out."
Two starving cadets rummaging through the forest had just found a chance to hunt.
After surviving on fruit alone for two days, it was no wonder their eyes lit up at the sight of the boar.
"Damn it. Who the hell are you guys? That boar's ours."
"Ugh... We're so hungry we don't even have the strength to fight..."
But they weren't the only cadets eyeing the boar.
The two cadets faced off against the others they'd encountered in the underbrush.
"Hey, we're too weak from hunger. Can't you just let us have it?"
"No way we're handing over the boar. We're sick of fruit."
"Wait, do we really have to fight?"
By the third day, about half the cadets had been eliminated. That meant most had been through at least one or two battles.
And they'd learned something.
Knocking down the enemy in front of you didn't fill your own stomach.
The food from supply crates was ridiculously scarce, and monsters didn't drop any provisions.
In other words, every fight just burned more energy.
Of course, it was all going according to the academy's plan.
In a situation with high demand and low supply, cadets had to compete—or sometimes cooperate—to secure food and survive.
It fit perfectly with the "survival" theme of the exam.
But now, with things diverging from the original story, the cadets came up with a different solution.
"Why don't we team up and hunt down Lee Ho-yeon? I heard he brought a ton of food."
"...Yeah. They say he's got a huge stash of smoked duck."
"Fighting among ourselves is just exhausting."
"Let's round up more people."
The cadets began searching the island for the golden goblin somewhere out there.
*
Wednesday morning.
"Hng... ahh..."
I kneaded Ellis's shoulders while injecting mana.
"Not meeting Lumi anymore?"
After spending a few days together, she'd gotten a bit more comfortable and occasionally started conversations herself.
Today, out of the blue, she asked about Lumi.
"Yeah. She said she wanted to stick with Lucy."
"Hmm..."
'Why's she asking about Lumi?'
I still couldn't quite figure Ellis out.
After filling her with mana, I checked the remaining numbers on my smartwatch.
"130 people..."
"Slower drop than expected."
"...Yeah."
Ellis was right.
This was weird. 130 still alive?
By day three, it should have dipped below 100... What had changed?
The biggest issue in the survival exam was food.
With so many monsters, wild game was scarce, and the fish weren't big enough to eat.
Everyone had to tough it out on tree fruits until the supply crates dropped.
They fought bloody battles for the few crates that fell compared to the number of cadets... yet the numbers weren't dropping.
What was going on?
"Four ahead."
That's when Ellis's voice snapped me out of it.
"Oh. Got it. Sorry, got lost in thought and missed them."
Hours of walking while mulling over the numbers had thrown off my scanning.
"It's fine."
A faint smile tugged at Ellis's lips—she seemed pleased to have spotted them first.
"Two each."
"Okay."
"You take the front two. I'll handle the back ones."
We divided roles and closed in on the enemies.
Familiar faces. A team from A-Class and B-Class traveling together.
Against the two of us, they should have been intimidated, but their expressions were full of fight.
"It's Lee Ho-yeon! Kill him!"
"Hand over the food, you bastard!"
"Look at that healthy glow. How much have you been eating?!"
"Hanging with Ellis here too? I'm seriously gonna terror-recommend you from now on."
It was me they had a problem with.
Yeah, they'd come looking eventually.
Word had gotten out from the start that I had food...
'Wait, could it be because of me that they're not fighting each other?'
Nah, no way.
"Guys, you should've prepared better yourselves. Why take it out on me?"
I drew up my magic power.
Exchanged a glance with Ellis and charged the enemies together.
I took the two mages while Ellis handled the swordsmen.
A 1v2 was disadvantageous, but the gap between top-tier and upper-tier cadets was that wide.
As I rushed in, I twisted my torso to dodge an incoming ice arrow, then burned the wooden vines snaking around my feet with fire and pulled free.
'Their coordination's solid.'
Like Lucy and Lumi, who'd always teamed up.
I pondered the cleanest way to win when suddenly the tree behind me hurled leaves at me.
"What the hell?"
Dodging, I saw one cadet with hands on the ground manipulating the tree. The ice mage beside him summoned ice shards to harass me.
'I could just burn them all...'
That's why flame mages hated forests. One slip, and the whole area could go up in flames.
I wanted to summon lightning and smash them, but I wasn't ready to reveal other attributes yet.
"...Screw it. Die."
Not even Nam Da-eun level, and they were bothering me.
'Acceleration.'
I accelerated my circuits and blasted mana from my feet, lunging at them.
The mages, surprised by my close-range push, abandoned tree control and wrapped vines around themselves—clearly prepared for melee.
"Too late, punk."
One guarding while the other prepped a big spell? Too predictable.
'Fire Wave.'
A skill that spreads flames like a shallow wave.
The one I'd used in the practical exam to slip through the scrap giant's gaps.
Normally, weak flames sneaking through vines wouldn't hurt.
But my [Mana Sensitivity] made it possible.
"Useless! Our duo's invincible!"
The plant mage hid behind vines, protecting the one charging an advanced ice spell.
Confident in his durability, apparently.
But when the flames slipped through and converged right in front of him, even he froze.
"W-wait. How are you controlling a spell after casting it...? Argh!"
The flames engulfed the first cadet, then the one casting behind him.
"Gah!"
"Aaaagh!"
The two, caught off-guard, flailed until their smartwatches blared warnings and they teleported away.
"See ya. Bring more food next time."
I waved goodbye to my "friends."
"Demon bastard! Enemy of men!"
"I can't stand you eyeing Ellis too!"
Tsk tsk. Pathetic losers.
Jealous of a guy hanging with girls, huh.
The fight had dragged longer than expected.
Ellis must have finished hers already.
"Huh?"
Turning around, I saw Ellis being relentlessly pushed back by two swords.
"Am I seeing this wrong?"
Rubbing my eyes and checking again—same thing.
Ellis couldn't hold against their assault, retreating with every clash.
'Clairvoyance.'
I activated it to scan her internal state.
"Oh, she's out of mana."
Makes sense. It'd been hours since the recharge.
She'd noticed my fight end but wasn't calling for help.
Pride, probably—wanted to handle it herself.
I sat casually on a nearby flat rock.
She had barely a handful of mana left.
Ten minutes tops. I'd let her hold out, then save her just before injury.
*
About 30 minutes later.
Ellis finally dropped her sword. Right as one swordsman swung down, I intervened.
"Sorry. Didn't want to risk you getting hurt."
"..."
I wedged between Ellis and the swordsman, blocking the overhead strike with Cotton Guard.
Irked by my unavoidable interference, Ellis hung her head.
"Wh-what?! Why's Lee Ho-yeon here?!"
"Where are the others?!"
The swordsmen, tunnel-visioned on the fight, hadn't noticed me spectating for 30 minutes.
"You'll see them soon."
Drained after over 30 minutes, they were easier to dispatch than blowing my nose.
After they teleported, the awkward atmosphere made breaking the silence tough.
Ellis was radiating negative energy.
"Ahem. Ellis? It's okay. I'll refill your mana."
"..."
"Still, your mana control was insane. Holding out 30 minutes on a handful."
"...How'd you know?"
"Huh?"
"How'd you know I had barely any mana left?"
She looked up at me with scary eyes.
Why's she mad...?
"Just got a knack for mana."
"...I see."
Leaking info, but it hinted at my unmatched massage skills later. Not bad.
"Come here. Let's top you up."
I moved behind her and placed hands on her shoulders.
But her words stopped me.
"Direct skin contact... is more effective, right?"
*
"...The cadets are starting to band together. Targeting Cadet Lee Ho-yeon."
"How frustrating. This even an exam anymore?"
"Could be good. Rare situation. Valuable experience for everyone."
In the professors' meeting room, they monitored and scored the survival exam in real-time.
Scores finalized on elimination, but high accumulations meant early dropouts could outscore late ones.
Among them, Im Sol quietly watched Lee Ho-yeon.
'Mana control like that... First time seeing it. Impressive.'
First person whose every glance improved her own magic.
Im Sol pondered revealing herself as his sponsor. Or taking him as a disciple.
It'd be a huge social boost for the still-20-year-old Ho-yeon.
'Watch a bit longer first.'
Bzzz—
Her smartwatch vibrated on silent.
Normally off during grading, but as the dean's and chairman's invited professor, she wasn't scoring—just there to see Ho-yeon. No complaints from others.
"Hello. What's up?"
Im Sol stepped out to take the call.
- Sollyyy! How's exam grading?
The familiar voice was Min Ye-ji.
Im Sol sighed at her hyper friend's tone.
"Boring as usual. Why?"
- Duh, survival exam? Tell me ahead of time! I planned to approach Cadet Lee Ho-yeon this week!
"You know that's not allowed. Stop saying dumb stuff."
She knew about the mana oath, yet so annoying.
- Fine. Tell me what he likes then. Gotta bribe for negotiations.
"Bribe..."
Im Sol recalled his joyful face every time she sucked him off.
"Ho-yeon likes..."
But she couldn't say he'd fall easily to her body.
Just usual teasing; Ye-ji wouldn't take it seriously.
Still, she couldn't voice it.
- Likes what?
"...Dunno. Magic, I guess."
- Come on, I know he likes magic!
"Don't know. Busy with this damn base. Hanging up."
- Sol! Soolll!
Beep beep.
"...Maybe take a break."
Staring at Ho-yeon's face too long must've messed her head.
Jealous over something not even hers?
"Hoo... Back to magic research."
For Im Sol, rest was magic research.
But researching magic just made the talented disciple linger in her mind more.