Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Misinterpretation
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People are prone to misinterpretations at times.
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[Subquest #7-1]
[Objective: Support Reina, who is at risk of elimination.]
[Reward: 5 days added to remaining time, 10 SP provided]
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The moment I arrived at the scene, I realized the reason for Reina's potential elimination was the beating she took before the PvP round started. A rules violation.
My hunch had turned out to be correct.
What could I do? I had no choice but to intervene.
"Hold on a second."
As I jumped into the situation, Reina shot me a displeased look.
But hey, I'm human too, you know?
"Ha, Ha Yul, save me. That bitch is completely insane."
It was a villain doing villainous things, but how could it be so pathetic?
I'd put up with his cocky attitude for a while, and it seemed like time for some proper discipline, so I ended up using SP to send in the drone first.
Then I wrapped his mouth tight with the Thousand Thread Snake and smacked him.
I hit him in Reina's place.
Hit him again.
Got excited and hit him some more.
The moment I started really laying into him, Reina threw the weird bone she was holding at me.
"Your hand will hurt."
Ah, as expected of an expert.
She must have hit people a lot, because she's way more experienced than me in this department.
"People really do need tools."
I used the bone to smack him a few more times, then checked the remaining time.
Too bad, but it was about time for the drone to return.
I shook off my hands and said to Lee Dong-uk,
"What kind of demonic beast did you run into to end up such a mess? Someone might think you got beaten."
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Lee Dong-uk's face was swollen like a steamed bun, and even with his mouth bound, he was yelling his head off.
He still hadn't grasped the situation. I leaned in with a more serious expression and whispered,
"No. You're getting on my nerves, so should I just let the demonic beast finish you off?"
"......"
"Just go ahead and do it, then contact your family. Beg them to clean it up. They abandoned you anyway—killing one more person won't make a difference. What's it gonna be?"
"Mmph."
"What? No time, so choose quick."
"Mmph mmph mmph!"
Lee Dong-uk shuddered, then nodded up and down as if he'd made up his mind.
But how could I trust this guy?
To make sure, I engraved a spell.
64-stroke 2-star Wood Control Technique, Root of Greed.
A green thread shot out from the rune on the back of my hand and burrowed into Lee Dong-uk's.
"I've planted my mana inside you. If you blab about what happened today or act cocky in front of me again, it'll go boom. Behave yourself."
It was a spell for borrowing mana, but who cares if he knows that.
It looked like something connected, so Lee Dong-uk wouldn't suspect easily.
* * *
I figured out why the sleeping potion had no effect on Reina only later.
The self-purification unique to saintesses had neutralized the drug.
After reaching a satisfactory agreement, I confiscated the passed-out Lee Dong-uk's live watch and hung it on a nearby tree.
[Subquest #7-1 Objective: Support Reina at risk of elimination—complete.]
[Reward: 5 days added to remaining time.]
[Reward: 10 SP provided.]
With things wrapped up, time was approaching midnight.
Reina and I moved further north and set up camp.
It was an unexpected companion, but I didn't refuse because I wanted to know why she'd come to the academy so early.
What had made her rush here.
It was also perfect timing, as it was the last bit of leisure before the third day of upheaval.
......
"Hmm."
Thanks to that, Reina was receiving quite the luxurious treatment.
She sat by the campfire, dipping bread into hot, sweet soup and savoring it.
Of course, the bread and soup came from my subspatial pouch. I'd brought them for times like this.
"Tasty?"
"Better than pig."
It was working great.
Not only had Reina's mood improved in no time, but the awkwardness between us had mostly vanished.
I waited for the atmosphere to relax further, and when the darkness felt familiar, I broached the subject.
"Why'd you come to the academy? It's such a boring place......"
Reina, who had been chewing hastily, swallowed the last bit of bread.
Then she looked me straight in the eye and answered.
"Because of you."
"Huh?"
What was this straight ball......
The one who answered was composed, while the one who asked was flustered. It was a confession that came flying in without warning.
But this was just the beginning.
"Actually......"
Reina set down her plate and continued with a fairly serious expression.
"Before I met you at the academy, I sensed a massive darkness."
"......"
I flinched again and glanced at my right hand.
Fortunately, Greed seemed to have hidden itself beyond her senses.
"But what emerged from that shadowed place was a vessel for sainthood. It was you, with your pure mana."
True to her straightforward personality, Reina poured out her inner thoughts without hesitation.
She'd sensed both light and darkness in me, so she had no choice but to suspect.
That's why she'd included me in her security team and tested me unilaterally.
Though in the end, she'd even had her saintess power stolen from her.
......
Anyway, it was probably the day she'd spoken the most in her life, with such a long conversation.
"In the end, you weren't the darkness. So what was the darkness I felt back then?"
"It was just—"
"That's why I'm going to watch over you. In case the darkness......"
The darkness?
It felt like it cut off at a crucial point, so I asked again.
"Me? Why me?"
But right then, the live watch alarm blared.
Beep beep—
[Day 3 of midterms has begun.]
[Player vs. player combat is now permitted from this moment.]
[Steal another student's live watch and press the retire button to earn points.]
[Retiring seed-designated students grants bonus points.]
[Seeds' locations are now active on GPS.]
[An alarm will sound if you're within 100m of a seed.]
Ding ding ding— ding ding ding—
Talk about timing.
I quickly hit mute to continue the conversation.
"If it becomes clear, I'll tell you first. Forget what I just said."
But Reina, looking down at her live watch, wrapped it up a step ahead.
"Thanks, it was delicious. Time for me to go."
She gathered her things and stood up.
Dumbfounded, I shouted,
"Where are you going in the middle of the night? I won't attack, so just stay."
"It's not that. I just don't want to drag you into trouble by staying nearby. See you."
Before I could stop her, Reina headed into the darkened grass.
Then, as if something occurred to her, she turned her head slightly and added,
"Just curious, but did you ever leave your family home for an extended period as a child?"
As a child?
The question was vague, but I nodded anyway.
According to canon, I'd been isolated due to hallucinations.
"I see. Then back then......"
"No. Even if you ask more, I don't really know. My memories are hazy now......"
I quickly blocked follow-ups. Canon was canon.
I couldn't fabricate personal memories.
"Understood. Farewell then."
Reina gave a light bow and walked off without hesitation.
I watched her back for a moment, then sat down again.
"Sheesh......"
I'd resolved one question, but it just spawned more, cluttering my mind.
"But......"
For now, this was it.
Nothing was happening right away, so I decided not to dwell.
The immediate tasks came first.
I looked up at the night sky.
There was the full moon......
A perfect yellow orb, without a single flaw, illuminating the world like it heralded the start of Act 2.
The eerie ones. Their time to rampage was coming.
I pulled out Lee Dong-uk's watch and hit the retire button first.
[Acquired points held by Lee Dong-uk.]
[12 points added.]
[Your points: 27]
That should secure me mid-to-lower ranks for now.
My goal was mid-tier, so a bit short, but things were about to get busy, so I ignored it.
I buried the campfire under dirt and entered the tent.
Planned to sleep two or three hours, then head out.
According to canon, I had to reach Zone C just before dawn.
Now, my target was Ju A-rin.
That was all I needed to think about.
* * *
Ju A-rin was the type to divide her day into minute-by-minute plans.
It was the foundation of her being, her core essence, unshakeable even when suddenly dropped into deep mountains and forced to survive.
Thus, she split her day into three parts, avoiding Zone C, and hunted for a full 12 hours.
As a result, she earned 22 points, tying with Baek Sa-young, but unaware of that, Ju A-rin remained anxious.
Was she falling behind the other seeds?
A strong midterm performance could land her in the single digits she'd always dreamed of.
Her direct clan might take notice, and then she could request outings like in the tales.
Beep beep—
Her wandering thoughts vanished with the sudden alarm.
[Day 3 of midterms has begun.]
.
.
Ju A-rin carefully parsed the message, then planned her next moves.
With PvP now open season, escape Zone C first, head to Zone E.
Meet up with Cheon Seo-yoon and join forces.
Hoo—
Letting out a shallow sigh, Ju A-rin lay down in her sleeping bag to catch even a little rest.
The ground's chill seeped through, and dank humidity tickled her body, but she endured and forced sleep.
How much time passed?
Ehehehehe—
An unpleasant dissonant giggle scratched at her ears, jolting her relaxed senses awake.
Ju A-rin bolted up and scanned around.
She spotted two flickering lights in the right bushes.
Glowing red eyes—no human's, so she relaxed a bit.
The intruder's goal didn't seem to be her points, at least.
......But that relief was short-lived.
Staring into the dark, Ju A-rin couldn't hide her bewilderment.
"What is that?"
The intruder's state was off.
It carried an unusual aura—not demonic qi, not mana, something entirely new.
And vitality.
The fundamental energy all living beings should have was absent.
It was like...
"A ghost?"
The moment Ju A-rin thought of the closest concept.
One, two, three. Ten......
Red eyes multiplied in an instant.
Ehehehehe—
Ehehehehe—
Encircling her like spreading torches, Ju A-rin bit her lip.
She hurriedly drew up mana to prepare for attack.
Craaaack.
Just as she converted it to ice and was about to unleash—
"Don't waste your energy. Hold your breath. Hold it!"
At the critical moment.
That familiar voice she'd heard before pierced her ears again.