Chapter 220
Chapter 220
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 220
Chapter Title: Dragon Badge Swap 2 (5)
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A short time after midnight on December 31st.
Whooo—.
The faces of the gathered 50th Cohort glowed as brightly as spring, despite the biting dawn wind stinging their noses.
They clustered in groups of twos and threes, each letting out voices full of emotion.
"It's already been a year..."
"Yeah, it feels like we just got here the other day, but a whole year has passed already..."
The memories of their first days in the Cradle, stumbling around lost and confused, were still vivid.
And out of the many同期 who couldn't endure and were expelled, only about a hundred remained in the 50th Cohort.
They had no choice but to rejoice at having survived that hellish year unscathed.
Of course, they'd only made it through one year so far, with four more to go.
Even so, the reason the 50th Cohort could celebrate this moment was the reward that came with enduring the year.
The reward called "juniors."
"Heh heh, the 51st Batch, huh?"
"Finally escaping junior status!"
And the reason they'd gathered was obvious.
It was all for the Dragon Badge Swap.
'We get to pay back everything they did to us, right?'
'These bastards... they're all dead meat!'
A chance to swap badges for free.
A modest but decent haul of points.
But the true highlight of the Dragon Badge Swap was tormenting the clueless prospective 51st Batch members.
Just like what had been done to them last year.
'When does this even start?'
'We started on the 30th last year... why are these guys so late?'
The 50th Cohort was itching to get started on the swap.
But amid them, there were some who exuded a completely detached vibe.
"I'm hungry."
"Yawn. Why'd they make everyone gather if it's just for the Dragon Badge Swap people?"
Bobbi rubbed his sleepy eyes, while Arin yawned repeatedly.
Gunter looked at the two with pity.
He stretched lightly and tossed a question their way.
"You're really not joining the Dragon Badge Swap?"
Arin waved her hand breezily at the question.
"Nope, no way. Absolutely not."
"I'm hungry."
"Why go through all that hassle?"
"I'm hungry!"
Arin was firm in her refusal.
And Bobbi nodded vigorously in agreement with her.
They were part of the group that had declared no participation in this year's swap.
And understandably so—neither had any reason to bother.
They'd never been keen on Cradle events to begin with.
They were owners of the top-tier White Dragon Badge, second only to the Black Dragon Badge.
And they weren't hurting for points enough to chase after the pocket change from prospective 51st Batch members.
On this freezing night, Arin and Bobbi had long since tossed aside any thought of trekking to the distant Forest of Beginnings for that misery.
To them, it was baffling that Gunter was participating.
"Then why are you doing it? You're White Dragon Badge owner too, and you don't need the points."
As Gunter checked his gear, he answered Arin's question.
"To rediscover my初心."
"Your初心?"
"With the new year approaching, I want some time to reflect on the me from a year ago and atone for the past."
Bobbi and Arin were about to shrug it off when...
"What a load of crap about初心."
A rough voice cut in.
Yuri appeared with his sloppy gait, jabbing a finger at Gunter.
"I heard this guy went around grinding his teeth, saying he'd stop the 51st Batch cold and smash anyone he got his hands on?"
Gunter's face darkened with displeasure the moment the words landed.
Arin and Bobbi wore expressions that screamed, "Who're you calling scum?"
Ignoring their reactions, Yuri pressed on.
"Where'd that go? The guy who said he'd wreck every last one he caught?"
"I've never said it like that. I only said I'd give my all against anyone I face."
"Same difference. What does that have to do with rediscovering your初心?"
"Seeing guys who thought they were hot stuff until now crash against an insurmountable wall and despair—that's more than enough to remind me of my roots. I'll use their despair as fertilizer to grow out of my complacency."
"...Perverted bastard."
Even Arin and Bobbi couldn't disagree with Yuri's final jab.
Gunter, looking sullen, shot back.
"Then why are you joining the Dragon Badge Swap?"
The area fell silent the instant the question ended.
It was a doubt shared by every single member of the 50th Cohort.
One of the Cradle's only two Black Dragon Badge owners.
And the undisputed strongest.
The points Yuri had raked in from quests over the past year were inestimable.
Everyone figured even all the 50th Cohort combined couldn't top his haul.
There was no point in it for him—no badge swap value, just chump change from minor quests.
'Why the hell is he going?!'
'He's definitely just there to torment the 51st Batch!'
'He should've just stayed here and rested!'
'Tch, damn it!'
Truth be told, everyone secretly hoped Yuri would sit this one out.
If he went all out, it'd slash their shares exponentially.
Points that were pocket lint to him were still meaningful to the rest of the 50th Cohort.
With all eyes on Yuri's mouth...
"Me too, rediscovering my初心."
"...初心? You?"
"The fatter your wallet, the easier it is to forget how precious money is. So, to relive old memories and feel again how tough scraping points used to be..."
The crowd's faces darkened as Yuri's words dragged on.
In other words, he was dead set on stripping every last point from the prospective 51st Batch.
Which meant slim pickings for the other 50th Cohort members.
As gloom settled over the 50th Cohort...
"...is what I'd say. Don't worry, I only need one guy."
"One guy?"
At the puzzled question from someone, Yuri pointed straight at Bobbi.
"Someone who looks exactly like that..."
"......?"
Bobbi blinked in confusion.
"...with hair."
Bobbi's brow furrowed, his mood souring for no reason.
Yuri ignored him and infused his mana to broadcast to the entire 50th Cohort.
"I only need that one guy, so I won't touch the others. Do whatever with the rest."
"...Really?"
At the dubious echo, Yuri fired off a warning instead.
"But anyone who touches him will have a nice one-on-one chat with me later. Contents... use your imagination."
The chilling warning made the 50th Cohort swallow hard.
They etched it into their minds.
"So, just don't touch hairy Bobbi?"
"Hairy Bobbi. Hairy Bobbi. Hairy Bobbi."
"Avoid hairy Bobbi. Avoid hairy Bobbi."
As "hairy Bobbi" echoed everywhere, Bobbi's face twisted further.
Meanwhile, Arin sidled up to Yuri and asked.
"So, who's this hairy Bobbi?"
"Oh, that guy?"
Yuri recalled what Johan had told him recently at her question.
[Oh yeah, that Moochi kid's joining the Cradle. He's probably taking the test in the Forest of Beginnings right about now.]
Yuri grinned.
"He's got a snotty nose."
* * *
Hoo—hoo—.
Short breaths puffed out white in the frigid air.
Swooo—.
Beyond the dissipating breath, a pair of large eyes scanned relentlessly.
Green pupils brimming with wariness swept every direction.
Grip—.
Thick fingers clenched tight around a massive axe-spear.
Sweat-matted brown hair.
Thin black clothes torn here and there.
Swelling muscles radiating heat like they might burst.
A 14-year-old boy with a frame utterly unlike a child's—massive.
The boy, face tense as he vigilantly eyed his surroundings without rest, had...
Sss—.
"......!?"
A swarm of black shadows drop from above his head.
* * *
The shadow of the island drew slowly nearer.
At the unforgettable sight, the 50th Cohort grew nostalgic.
"We're finally... back here."
"The Forest of Beginnings... or should I say, the bug shit bucket."
A short walk into that island, and the walls would appear.
Beyond them, vast coniferous woods where countless prospective cadets now waged fierce survival battles.
The realization hit the 50th Cohort.
'...Come to think of it, we got lucky, huh?'
'Thanks to Yuri's rampage in there, a whole 300 of us survived.'
But there was no guarantee the 51st Batch had a Yuri.
No, if another like him existed, it'd be a disaster—so surely not.
Thus, the 51st Batch must be enduring a brutal survival test unlike theirs.
'Even that lunatic's useful sometimes?'
'That's a new revelation.'
As the 50th Cohort marveled anew at how Yuri's madness had helped them...
Creak—thud—!
The black ship docked at the pier.
The 50th Cohort's nostalgic faces hardened instantly.
Swooo—.
No words exchanged, they disembarked in perfect unison, blue killing intent radiating, forming ranks on the pier.
Step—step—.
The green 300 prospective cadets who had departed from this very pier a year ago.
Had returned as true Cradle cadets, forged with razor-sharp auras.
And greeting the 50th Cohort was the one-eyed Duran, in charge of the Forest of Beginnings, as expected.
"I trust you know why you've been summoned here without me explaining. So..."
He flashed a cruel smile at the 50th Cohort bristling with sharp killing intent.
"Pay back those bugs inside several times what you endured a year ago!"
The 50th Cohort answered his shout by unleashing even fiercer killing intent.
Gooo—.
Their killing intent swirled like a blizzard.
Duran commanded.
"50th Cohort... go wild."
At the brief order, over a hundred figures bolted toward the Forest of Beginnings in an instant.
But one who didn't charge with them hung back, yelling.
"Hey, you idiots, remember what I said! The moment anything happens to that guy, you're next!"
The 50th Cohort knew that sloppy voice without looking back.
'Ah, the mood was perfect, and he's ruining it!'
'We got it! How many times you gonna repeat yourself?! My ears are numb!'
'We won't touch hairy Bobbi!'
Lacking the guts to talk back to Yuri, they grumbled inwardly as they ran.
Yuri smirked at his comrades, rolling his shoulders.
"Well then... guess I'll get moving too?"
He was convinced Moochi—who had already been a match for Cradle's first-year cadets back in their first spar—wouldn't fail the test.
Step—.
As he stepped forward to dash into the Forest of Beginnings...
"You're on standby, Yuri Holland."
Duran blocked his path, appearing like a ghost.
And that wasn't all.
Sss—.
A dozen Black Sword Soldiers surrounded Yuri alongside Duran in a flash.
Yuri's hand went to his sword, face hardening at the sudden turn.
"...What's this? What's going on here?"
Black Sword Soldiers encircling a single cadet.
Sensing something ominous, Yuri raised his aura, ready for anything.
Then Duran stepped forward and asked in a low voice.
"I'll ask: Have you ever broken into my office and tampered with Cradle documents?"
Duran's single eye pierced Yuri like a blade.
Meeting that gaze...
'...Huh, they found out?'
Yuri thought it had been a perfect crime.
A massive cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck.