Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Survival Exam (17)
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Day 6, lunchtime.
"No, seriously, why?"
A massive cluster of dots was swarming toward the center of the island on the minimap.
"Looks like they're heading straight for us."
"Should we run?!"
"Ho, Ho-yeon..."
"Just wait for now. Haah. These idiots."
It seemed Kim Young-han wasn't controlling his team as well as he'd hoped.
The proof was right there: even after overtaking Ellis to claim third place, they were still charging straight at me.
That spineless guy wouldn't pull something this stupid. There was no upside to top-rankers fighting each other.
"For now, let's keep our distance and fall back."
Our plan to head to the island's center was scrapped.
If we kept going like this, we'd run into Kim Young-han's team before day 7 even dawned.
"Lucy, Lumi. How many points do you have?"
"I've got 180."
"I have 210!"
"That's plenty."
We just needed to hold at least 200 points until day 7 kicked in.
That was the survival condition. I could spot Lumi the 20 points she was short, no problem.
We were too late to catch Nam Da-eun anyway, so splitting points a bit wouldn't hurt. The gap she'd built was too wide, even if we took down the final boss.
"And what exactly do you plan to accomplish by keeping this distance?"
"...Just wait and see."
It'd be nice if Lucy or Lumi would follow my lead without question, but convincing Ellis meant bringing logic to the table. It was exhausting.
"I figured there had to be something at the island's center. You saw that empty clearing and the massive tree in the middle, right?"
"Yeah."
"I thought it might be some kind of marker, that's why we were heading there. For now, let's pull back."
"You could've shared that theory earlier. Fine, got it."
Phew.
I swallowed a quiet sigh of relief as we veered off in the opposite direction from Kim Young-han's team.
*
Kim Young-han was at the front, leading the cadets straight toward Lee Ho-yeon.
If we keep this up, we'll run into him soon.
His team had taken down countless boss monsters, unearthed treasures, and hunted regular mobs.
Naturally, they'd racked up a ton of artifacts in the process.
Among them were ones that boosted movement speed in confined spaces and another that amplified buffs.
At first, a few cadets had messed around touching the artifacts.
Then, out of nowhere, the synergy between those two kicked in, speeding up the entire team.
"Let's go snag Ho-yeon!"
"Charge!"
The thrilled cadets, hyped by their boosted pursuit speed, raised their fists and followed Kim Young-han.
What's got these lunatics so excited...
The most excited ones always died first.
"Hoo..."
Kim Young-han was in the position of collecting points from over 80 cadets, so he couldn't just bail even if he wanted to.
Resigned, he took point and chased after Lee Ho-yeon.
"Boss, what's wrong?"
"Don't call me that."
Alright. Think positive.
Targeting Ho-yeon was better than coming after me.
The second someone pointed out why he was the only one sitting at third in points while everyone else slaved away, it was game over.
Of course, Kim Young-han had monopolized the codes for treasures and bosses, so the other cadets couldn't check the rankings. But with positions public, points rankings could drop any time.
"Let's go! Time to catch that pretty-boy enemy of men, Ho-yeon!"
Sorry, pretty boy...
Kim Young-han hyped up the cadets and pursued Lee Ho-yeon.
"Push in!"
"Enemy of men! Kill!"
"Men are so simple. But Da-eun'll handle it, right?"
"Of course. Da-eun's crazy strong."
Kim Young-han's team chased Lee Ho-yeon, each with their own motives.
*
"...They're way too fast."
Kim Young-han's team picked up speed, so we matched them.
But they accelerated even more in response.
Even at our top sprint—like we were on a plane—they were closing in at over three times the pace.
"Must've scored some artifact."
"At this rate, we're done for."
"..."
Ellis and I, the team's strategists, put our heads together.
Hide the coordinates now?
I'd tested it just in case: my rune barrier could even block the battle royale's position tracking.
But how would the academy take it?
It was a cadet's skill, so it should be fair game. Still, the others might complain.
If they called it breaking exam rules, fine. But if it came off as "academy can't counter one cadet's skill," it'd be a headache.
Victoria Academy slacked off before; I didn't want more entanglements.
If I hid coords, save it for when escape was impossible. Emergency use only.
I could always play dumb: no intent.
"We'll retreat as far as we can for now. Then I'll buy us time."
"...Why you?"
"I'm the only one who can get away."
Obvious play.
No matter how fast they chased, if I combined Acceleration and Rune Barrier to hide, they couldn't touch me.
While I stalled, Ellis, Lucy, or Lumi just needed to hold out until day 7.
Victory ours.
Ellis eyed me like this was unexpected.
Like there was anyone as nice as me.
★ Heroine Status ★ ❤️ Favorability: 42 💋 Lust: 38 🍽️ Appetite: 25 😴 Fatigue: 45 Current State: Is he pretending to be nice... or actually nice? Still not sure. Our Ellis must've lived around some real scum to distrust people this much.
I knew her rough past, so I got it.
She'd understand my pure heart soon enough.
"You know my barrier, right?"
"Yeah."
"It can hide your position coords temporarily. Once you're far enough from me, it'll drop and reveal you. Hide till then. Got it? Meet at the center point connecting our four positions when day 7 rolls over."
I made eye contact with Lucy and Lumi, who'd overheard.
They fretted over me buying time, but nodded after I swore I'd be fine.
Ellis couldn't hide her shock that the barrier blocked coords too.
No time for long explanations.
Kim Young-han's team was closing in even as we talked.
"I'll head this way. Hide well, and we'll regroup."
They still needed time to catch us, but the girls needed time to hide.
To buy that, I had to face Kim's team first.
"Ho-yeon..."
"Come back alive!"
"...Got it. Thanks."
Lucy and Lumi saw me off like wives sending their husband to war.
Encounter imminent.
Ellis watched me with a reluctant frown.
I gave a light wave and bolted toward Kim Young-han's team.
*
"...What the?"
Kim Young-han spotted the anomaly first, naturally.
He'd been tracking Lee Ho-yeon's coords for hours from the lead.
"Boss, what's up?"
"Ho-yeon's... coming this way?"
Ho-yeon's dot had U-turned abruptly and was barreling toward them.
What's he thinking?
Even for Ho-yeon, charging 80 solos was insane.
Sure, some cadets were low-tier, but he wouldn't lose to any one of them.
"The other three girls' coords are steady... Huh?"
The three women from Ho-yeon's team, blinking on the minimap moments ago, had vanished.
Did he take them out himself?
Kim Young-han frantically checked the point rankings.
Ellis's name was still there. So were Lucy and Lumi's lower down.
"...High on his 1v1 runner-up high?"
The girls' coords vanishing screamed position-hiding artifact.
Questionable if such a cheat item existed, but it fit otherwise.
"Yo, Ho-yeon's coming solo this way?"
"1 vs. 80? For real?"
"Gotta have that kinda guts to score chicks..."
The other cadets caught on.
"Boss, what now?"
"..."
Some wrinkle?
No downsides came to mind.
They were tracking the group anyway; bumping into Ho-yeon was inevitable.
If a fight broke out, they'd crush him. If not, just keep marching, no loss.
"...Split into four teams and encircle! Ho-yeon's incoming!"
"Boss says encircle!"
Kim Young-han took the best immediate action.
The team split into four, closing in to surround Ho-yeon.
He could see the maneuver but didn't flee.
Net's closed. No escape.
Kim Young-han welcomed him, victory assured.
Ho-yeon looked healthy, like he'd been camping, not surviving solo.
"Hey, Kim Young-han. Here for revenge on that 1v1 loss?"
"Long time no see, pretty boy Ho-yeon."
Eighty cadets ringed him in a wide circle.
Ho-yeon seemed unfazed.
"Whoa, you really rallied a crowd. That's a skill in itself."
"...What's your game? You're fully surrounded. Now's not the time to chill."
Kim Young-han couldn't make sense of it.
Why so relaxed? What scheme?
"Heh. Loosen up. This ain't war. Lose, and you don't die."
Ho-yeon shrugged nonchalantly. Kim Young-han let out a hollow chuckle.
"Always the only one taking it seriously."
He shook his head, softening his stern face into a smirk.
Obvious: came to buy time protecting the girls.
Kim Young-han had zero obligation to care.
"Guys! Rush him all at o—"
"We agreed Ho-yeon was mine."
Thud. Thud.
A woman cut through the crowd, interrupting Kim Young-han.
Sculpted features, straight hair cascading to her waist—a striking girl.
"...Nam Da-eun?"
Her stunned face said Kim Young-han hadn't known either.
"Nam Da-eun? What the...?"
"I said I'd handle Ho-yeon. You agreed."
"That was when we ran into all four of his team... Da-eun. Hey, Da-eun?"
Nam Da-eun ignored him and strode right up to me.
"..."
Even Ho-yeon was thrown by her sudden appearance.
Was gonna aggro a bit then accel out. Why's she crashing this?
★ Heroine Status ★ ❤️ Favorability: 51 💋 Lust: 17 🍽️ Appetite: 34 😴 Fatigue: 26 Current State: I prepared so hard for you... One spar should be okay, right? Nam Da-eun was decked out in island-sourced artifacts.
Geared up just to spar me?
"Long time no see. Thanks for back then."
She thanked me, drawing her sword.
What grudge did she have?
Gulp.
Ho-yeon swallowed hard, tensing up.
Thump.
His heart raced, mana surging into overdrive.