Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Veteran (3)
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Three members of the 50th Cohort walking through the forest.
They were none other than Nelly Blanc, Pana Taylor, and Ivan Baskin.
Anyone seeing that combination would probably give them a puzzled look.
Nelly Blanc and Pana Taylor had been friendly from the start, sure.
But Ivan Baskin, who looked somewhat thuggish and antisocial, hanging out with them?
Anyone would think the same upon seeing the trio.
In fact, Ivan and Pana had even gotten into a little spat during the last end-of-month evaluation.
But surprisingly, it was Pana and Ivan who had brought the three of them together.
The two had bickered several more times even after that end-of-month evaluation.
And yet, as if to prove that fighting led to bonding, they suddenly started sticking together.
With the two of them paired up like that, Nelly, who was friends with Pana, naturally joined their group.
“Is this really the right way?”
“Yeah, they said if you keep going this way, you’ll reach the Mechanism Breakthrough Quest zone.”
“You sure?”
“I checked it thoroughly.”
“Hmm?”
“What’s with that suspicious glare? You don’t trust the info I gathered?”
“Hmm?”
“…Staring at someone silently like that can make the other person uncomfortable.”
“Hmm?”
“Stop it…….”
Today, too, Pana and Ivan bickered as they walked without stopping, and Nelly tilted her head in amazement as she watched.
‘Those two… they seem mismatched, but weirdly compatible?’
Pana Taylor, who looked innocently sweet.
Ivan Baskin, who seemed prickly and ready to pick fights everywhere.
But from what Nelly had observed, their personalities were surprisingly similar.
The sweet-looking Pana had a hidden prickly side.
And Ivan surprisingly took her prickliness in stride, showing a gentle side.
However, because both had a touch of prickliness, awkward moments arose now and then—and that was when Nelly stepped in as mediator.
“Hmm?”
“I said stop it.”
Nelly slipped between the two as they glared at each other.
She skillfully balanced them as she pulled them apart.
“Come on, Ivan. You’re not seriously sulking over something that small, are you? You’re not a kid.”
“…A kid?”
“Pana, I was there when Ivan gathered the info, okay? The one who slept in and showed up late should just keep quiet and follow.”
“Yes, ma’am. Sorry.”
Nelly’s mediation eased the atmosphere that had started to grow awkward.
It was a clear moment revealing who the central figure holding the three together was.
After that, they bantered lightly as if nothing had happened and continued through the forest path.
How long had they walked like that?
The moment they exited the forest, a towering cliff came into view in the distance.
Nelly and Ivan, who had gathered the info, lit up at the sight.
“That must be it.”
“Just like we heard—a cliff.”
Finally arriving at their destination, Nelly scanned the surroundings.
‘Is that the Mechanism Breakthrough Quest zone I’ve only heard about?’
The information provided by the quest counter about Mechanism Breakthrough Quests was incredibly sparse.
All it said was that difficulties ranged from 2-star to 7-star.
Rewards were variable too, so check at the zone itself.
The bigger issue was that the Cradle didn’t even tell you where the quest zone was.
So, for cadets still adjusting after recently entering the Cradle, Mechanism Breakthrough Quests didn’t get much attention.
But……
‘Things have changed recently.’
After the end-of-month evaluation.
[If you don’t want to get expelled, you need points… lots of points!]
As cadets realized how crucial points were, their mindset shifted, and so did their view of quests.
Even those satisfied with 1,000 points from no-star quests—the lowest of the low—started eyeing higher-grade ones.
That’s where the 2- to 7-star Mechanism Breakthrough Quests came in.
‘How many points can a 7-star one give?’
Spotlights turned to the points from 7-star quests, gradually increasing interest in Mechanism Breakthrough Quests.
People steadily sought them out as a result.
Nelly’s group had stumbled upon related info by chance and, after some twists and turns, found the quest zone.
Of course, their goal was no different from others’.
‘If it’s a 7-star quest reward… we can definitely rank high in this month’s end-of-month evaluation.’
Nelly planned to clear this quest and rake in a ton of points.
Pana and Ivan thought the same.
Carrying dreams of striking it rich, they pressed on.
That’s when it happened.
“Huh?”
Pana, walking at the front, stopped.
Nelly and Ivan, following behind, stopped as well.
“What is it?”
“Something wrong?”
At their questions, Pana furrowed her brow and let out a small groan.
“Mm…….”
Her brow furrowed more as time passed.
She tilted her head.
“That… is that a person?”
“What?”
“That.”
Pana pointed at the cliff.
Nelly and Ivan’s gazes followed her finger, and soon they saw it too.
Far off, midway up the cliff, a small figure waving at them.
Nelly and Ivan’s brows furrowed in tandem.
“Mm… kinda looks like it.”
“Yeah, it does.”
Pana grew even more puzzled at their agreement.
“But why’s that person waving at us?”
“…Beats me?”
“Maybe they’re not waving at us?”
“You think?”
They were just starting this puzzled debate when.
Suddenly, a black figure leaped down from the cliff.
And it started sprinting straight toward the three of them.
“Huh?”
“Mm?”
“Huh? They’re coming this way?!”
Caught off guard by the sudden situation, the three steadied themselves.
They calmly placed hands on their weapons.
Ready to respond if this unknown figure attacked.
The approaching figure grew larger.
Finally, upon seeing the face, they blinked.
“Huh? That guy?”
“…Right?”
“Looks like Yuri Holland.”
The person running toward them.
It was none other than Yuri Holland, the so-called Black Dragon Boss.
Everyone wore baffled expressions at Yuri’s abrupt appearance.
And understandably so.
Yuri Holland showing up out of nowhere was odd enough, but this guy they’d never even talked to was running right at them.
And the even stranger part……
‘Why’s he smiling like he’s so happy to see us?’
He was grinning ear to ear, looking thrilled.
The moment they saw Yuri’s beaming smile, Nelly and Pana’s eyes softened.
‘Smiling like that with a face like his… that’s cheating.’
‘Ahh… it’s healing.’
As if they’d never placed hands on their weapons, the two girls’ guards melted away.
Complete disarmament.
Ivan alone forcibly held onto his wavering vigilance and glared at Yuri.
A moment later.
“Whoa, hey!”
Yuri stopped in front of the three and greeted them first.
In a tone far kinder and friendlier than his usual self, he asked,
“You guys here for the Mechanism Breakthrough Quest too?”
“Huh? Y-yeah!”
“Y-yeah?”
Nelly and Pana nodded as if entranced.
Ivan nodded with a slightly guarded expression.
Yuri smiled at their reactions and beckoned.
“Follow me.”
He turned and strode ahead.
“……?”
The three stared blankly at Yuri’s retreating back amid this bizarre situation.
They exchanged glances.
‘Doesn’t seem malicious?’
‘Yeah… What do we do?’
‘Let’s follow for now.’
After a brief exchange, the three quietly trailed after Yuri.
And right then, Yuri’s friendly explanations began.
“See that building over there? That’s…….”
He explained the simple building’s purpose, the rankings board, rewards, and more.
Moving with the three, Yuri filled in for the sleeping Peter, sharing everything he knew.
About 15 minutes later.
“Alright, this way now.”
The three, dazedly listening to Yuri’s explanations, moved as if drawn by his beckoning hand once more.
This time, Yuri led them to the front of the green cave.
“This is the Green Cave. It’s 2-star difficulty, so people call it the 2-star cave too.”
Yuri pointed inside the cave as he explained.
“Press the start button before going in, head all the way to that far back spot, come out, and stop the timer. Not too hard, right?”
“…….”
“There are a fair number of traps, but the cave isn’t deep, so don’t worry too much. You’ll get the hang of it after a few tries.”
“…….”
The three listened silently to Yuri’s overly kind explanation.
Finally, unable to hold back their mounting questions, Nelly spoke for the group.
“Um…….”
“Yeah?”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Why are you… being so nice to us?”
Yuri gained a sudden realization at Nelly’s question.
‘Ah… I see!’
It was the exact question he’d asked Theresa.
And now he vaguely understood why she’d been so nice to him.
‘Tessha said she’d been here five months?’
If he felt this way after just ten days, how bored must Theresa have been?
How welcome must a new face have been?
Yuri, now fully understanding her feelings back then, gave the three the same answer Theresa had given him.
“Just because.”
“…Huh?”
“I’m just being nice. No real reason.”
“……?”
Just like when he’d heard it.
Seeing the three’s utterly confused looks, Yuri smiled.
Then he pointed up at the sky.
More precisely, at the very top of the cliff.
“Oh, and way up there’s a red-entrance cave. That one’s a bit dangerous.”
“Dangerous? How much?”
“Like, you go in and don’t come out?”
Pana’s eyes widened as she interpreted Yuri’s words.
“D-dead?”
“Yeah, I saw two people myself, but who knows if there’s more. Anyway, not important—moving on.”
“W-wait, people dying isn’t important…….”
“Heh, everyone dies eventually anyway. Don’t sweat it.”
“…….”
“Come on, I’ll share some good stuff. Top-tier info! I’d normally charge points, but I’m in a good mood today, so it’s free!”
“…What is it?”
“Listen up. Right after entering the Green Cave, the floor drops, and 0.3 seconds later, iron balls fly at a 47-degree angle. When that happens…….”
Excited, Yuri detailed several traps he knew: how they triggered, in what way.
To keep these rare newbies from leaving too soon.
“If you dodge that, 0.2 seconds later arrows come from the left about 15 cm…….”
The three exchanged glances as they listened to Yuri’s lengthy explanation.
‘…What’s he even saying?’
‘No idea…….’
‘No, how does he calculate every trap’s timing and angle like that?’
They had no clue what he was saying, but Yuri was explaining so kindly and meticulously that they pretended to follow along.
After roughly covering activation times and countermeasures for five out of about a hundred traps, Yuri’s eyes sparkled as he asked,
“How ’bout it? Easy, right?”
“…….”
The three nodded faintly.
Not because they understood, of course.
They just wanted to escape this uncomfortably kind situation ASAP.
Still, thanks to that kindness, perhaps.
All three thought the same thing as they looked at Yuri.
‘Yuri Holland… maybe not such a bad guy?’
In that moment of massive misunderstanding.
“Oh, and I’ve got like 95 more tips besides that, so come back anytime if you want more. I’ll charge a few points then, though.”
…Was he really not a bad guy?
Seeing Yuri wink cheekily, the three quickly corrected their thoughts.
* * *
After the newbies arrived.
They never came back to buy more info from Yuri.
Still, whether thanks to his kindness.
Or because these newbies were special.
They tackled the Green Cave more persistently than expected.
‘These newbies might stick around a bit.’
Yuri, energized by the hardworking newbies, steeled his resolve.
‘Alright, gotta work harder myself.’
Fueled by that burning resolve, Yuri challenged empty caves day and night, repeating attempts relentlessly.
With each one, he clearly felt the 10-second wall lowering.
On the 12th day of challenges.
True to form, Yuri challenged the Green Cave again today.
Confirming the needle stopped right at the 10th slot, his eyes lit up.
‘Almost there.’
He was certain the next try might hit 10 seconds.
That’s when it happened.
Srrk—thud!
The score sheet popped out.
Expecting 199 points as usual, he unfolded it casually.
But instead of a score, a single line was written there.
[You bastard, go home already!]
“……?”
Yuri blinked at the sudden curse.