Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Neighbor (1)
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A pure white crack appeared in the pitch-black consciousness.
Drip-.
The light filtering through the small fissure awakened Yuri's deeply slumbering mind.
“Mm…….”
A groan that sounded like petulant reluctance to wake.
With it, Yuri's long eyelashes trembled faintly.
Finally, after so long, Yuri's eyes slowly opened.
The moment his thoughts began to stir bit by bit, the first of his senses to react was smell.
‘…Cigarette smoke?’
This acrid scent was unmistakably the smoke from a burning cigarette.
As he wrinkled his nose, a gruff voice rang out.
“If you're awake, stop lying there like a corpse and get up already.”
Yuri opened his eyes at the familiar voice.
‘Huh? Where is this?!’
Startled by the unfamiliar ceiling, Yuri bolted upright.
“Owww… wait, no?”
He'd braced for agony throughout his body and let out a preemptive groan, but strangely, there was no pain.
And that wasn't all.
“…Why do I feel so refreshed?”
After pushing his body that hard, and no pain?
This couldn't be right.
Normally, he'd be struggling to breathe, hacking and wheezing by now.
But his current condition was refreshingly perfect.
Even his empty mana core was brimming full.
As if he'd eaten well and slept soundly for days.
As if reading his thoughts, the voice spoke again.
“Even a corpse would shine with grease if polished like that.”
Yuri's head whipped toward the source of the voice.
His eyes went wide.
“Huh? Coco…….”
“Tsk!”
“…Miss?”
“Miss? You trying to start something?”
“Ah, lady?”
“Calling me lady at my age is a bit much on the conscience.”
“…Coco.”
“Yeah.”
A black woman with a lit cigarette in her mouth.
It was none other than Coco, the canteen owner he'd seen not long ago.
The difference was that this time, she wore a white treatment gown.
Yuri tilted his head in confusion.
“…Did the canteen go bust?”
“I go out of my way to save a guy on the brink of death, and suddenly my perfectly fine shop is bankrupt? What's that about?”
“Then what are you doing here?”
“What do you think? Side gig.”
“…You've got a lot of jobs.”
“That's how it is in an organization short on manpower—one person has to pull double, triple duty.”
Hoo-.
Coco crossed her legs and exhaled smoke with an irritated face.
Yuri frowned.
“Even so, smoking in front of a patient is kinda much, isn't it?”
“Patient? Where's the patient here?”
“Well, obviously…….”
Yuri paused mid-sentence.
He glanced over his shoulder.
“Hm…….”
His shoulder turned far more smoothly than usual.
Not stopping there, he got off the bed and twisted his waist side to side.
He even hopped in place.
Boing-.
“Jeez…….”
The body that bounced so effortlessly left him bewildered.
Coco gave him a told-you-so look as she pulled out a fresh cigarette.
“I asked, where's the patient?”
“…None. But seriously, why am I like this? I feel too good.”
“Count yourself lucky. Just what you scarfed down while passed out was worth millions of points.”
“Huh?”
“Captain's special orders. Take extra good care of our promising prospect that the Sword Lord has his eye on—no pain allowed.”
“…….”
“Normally, we'd just slap on some ointment and call it a day, but… what you showed that day was so impressive, I personally nursed you for a few days. Meds work best when pros handle them.”
“…Weren't you on a side gig earlier?”
“Side gig doesn't mean no expertise. Look at your condition—perfect, right?”
“True. Thanks.”
“Save the thanks.”
With that, Coco stood and shed her gown.
“Now, back to the main job. Basic orientation for 50th Cohort Yuri Holland starts now.”
“……?”
“What's with the look?”
“Isn't your main job canteen lady?”
“That's a side gig too. My real job's Black Sword soldier slave—gotta do what the higher-ups say. At my age and tenure, stuck babysitting rookies. Tsk.”
Hoo-.
Her thick cigarette smoke carried irritation and lament.
“Ah… yes.”
“Got it? Then sit there. Let me wrap this up and clock out.”
“Yes, ma'am!”
Intimidated by the vibe, Yuri knelt on the bed pronto.
Coco then gave Yuri a brief rundown on Cradle life.
“First, the silver coins from Cradle are called points… You've used 'em, so you know. Skipping ahead.”
She waved it off and continued.
“Second, monthly evaluations at month-end. Most points wins. Don't wanna get kicked out? Grind those points.”
“Yes.”
“And last, that's all the help us first-years give you newbies. You're on your own now—fend for yourself.”
“Got it, got it.”
It was absurdly basic info.
Yuri, who'd half-expected as much from Cradle, just nodded nonchalantly.
A glint crossed Coco's eyes.
“Not surprised? Others went ghost-white just hearing it.”
“Eh, nothing to freak out about.”
Yuri shrugged, feigning nonchalance with some bravado.
Then he realized something, face hardening as he raised his hand.
“Uh… question?”
“Shoot.”
“You said others went ghost-white right away… so they've already heard this?”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Why? Everyone else woke up while you slept five whole days.”
“F-five days? I was out for five days?”
“Yeah. And you're dead last in the 50th Cohort to wake up.”
Yuri's face crumpled at her answer.
‘Damn, five days?!’
No wonder he felt suspiciously refreshed!
Five days' sleep would revive even a near-corpse!
Normally, five days or a month asleep wouldn't matter much.
The problem was the other 50th Cohort members had scattered and gotten a head start while he slept.
‘Should've secured a base back then!’
Yuri had arrived on the mainland first and planned to claim a spot early, but that pervert threw everything off.
He shot to his feet.
Coco smirked mockingly at him.
“Oh, and first-year cohort assembly is every Monday, 9 a.m.”
“…What day is it today?”
“Sunday.”
“…….”
Yuri glanced out the window at Coco's reply.
The sun high in the sky.
Meaning assembly was tomorrow.
No time to dawdle.
Body was in peak shape anyway.
Time to move.
“Argh! I'm out!”
“Yeah, bye.”
Yuri bolted out.
Moments later, he dashed past the window.
Coco lit another cigarette.
‘Interesting kid.’
She'd stuck by him these past days to nurse him, sure—but also to observe.
‘That kid's at the border of Unofficial Grade 1 and Certified Rank 1.’
Already close to Certified Rank 1; a little push and he'd break through.
But that was it.
Nothing else special, per her checks.
‘How'd he take fifteen steps?’
Unofficial Grade 1 wasn't high among cohorts.
Cradle overflowed with kids at Certified Rank 1 level—just pick a few.
Yet he'd gone fifteen steps at mere Unofficial Grade 1?
Impossible.
Even similar-level kids in the 50th only managed three or four before collapsing.
‘Sure, skill varies wildly even at the same level, but…….’
Yuri's gap was extreme.
Couldn't even handle a Strong Sword—the hallmark of Certified Rank 1—yet pulled off what they couldn't.
Impossible not to take notice.
‘Fun kid all around.’
In the rising thick smoke.
Coco's eyes sparkled with interest as she watched Yuri enter the forest.
* * *
Yuri dashed through the forest, scouting potential hideouts.
Same criteria as before.
Good for defending against intruders.
Not far from central zone.
Isolated training space.
He recalled the three conditions, zipping around, face twisting each time.
‘Damn, too late.’
Last time, the good spots were already taken by 49th Cohort.
Now even decent ones had new 50th Cohort claiming them.
‘Whoa, why'd these guys suddenly get picky? In Starting Woods, they just dug holes and lived in 'em?’
That month in Starting Woods must've taught them something.
Or knowing they'd spend two years here, they'd scouted properly.
Their growth hit Yuri—five days late—hard.
Every promising spot he checked had people.
Especially this 50th Cohort: record number of admits.
299 besides him dumped in at once; good spots naturally scarcer.
‘…Karma?’
He, who'd gotten 299 through alive, self-reproached.
After circling forever.
Even lowering standards, Yuri shook his head seeing the waterfall cave he'd dismissed now occupied.
‘No good like this.’
Have to settle anywhere, move later to better.
Decision made.
‘Ah!’
A place flashed in his mind.
‘That crevice—right where I met the pervert playboy!’
Not far from central.
Perfectly hidden from outside.
And the cave inside was roomier than expected.
‘Enough space to trade swords with that pervert… plenty for training.’
Perfect match.
One issue.
‘What if it's that pervert's lair?’
Third-years lived in west zone, but not all stayed there.
Some might live out even as third-years.
‘Still… gotta check.’
Lair or not.
He had to meet the pervert anyway to finish the 'deal.'
Yuri turned that way.
Moments later.
“Hm…….”
At the crevice, Yuri bent to peer inside.
Sun still up—easier to see than last time.
‘…Empty?’
No leaking light this time.
Though he might've blocked the entrance properly after last time's slip.
‘Gotta go in.’
Glancing around, Yuri plunged inside without hesitation.
Splash-.
Down the crevice the same way as before.
Silence in the crevice sparked faint hope.
‘If that cave's empty…….’
No more forest hunting.
No better spot.
Praying it was vacant, he dropped fast.
No signs of life—hope swelled.
Thud-.
He landed at the entrance where he'd clashed swords with the pervert playboy before.
What greeted him this time……
Shing-.
A silver flash thick with killing intent.