Chapter 13: Betrayed at the Finish Line
The atmosphere was different from the monthly evaluation. Yoo Ara could feel it. The way the other cadets looked at her. It wasn't the gaze reserved for a hopeless repeater—it was the glare of rivals sizing up a threat.
"They're gunning for us."
"Yeah, no surprise. She took first in the monthly eval just a week ago."
Yoo Ara steadied her nerves. It's fine. I've done special training with Kim Siu, so it'll be okay. Even if there had been that incident along the way. Just thinking about it made her cheeks burn.
"Hoo, get it together."
This wasn't the time to get distracted. Focus, Yoo Ara.
"Our strategy's simple: clear the missions and take down anyone who comes at us."
"Simpler than I expected."
"I racked my brain for a week, and this was the best option. Everyone's gonna target us anyway—dragging it out won't help."
"Agreed. Most effective approach."
The wildcard was Jang Won-hu. She had to stay on guard for when he'd turn on them.
"Our missions got reworked a lot, though."
Just as Kim Siu had warned, the simulation's exploits she'd exploited before were all patched. Even the annoying rescue-the-VIPs mission was swapped out.
Doesn't matter. I've got a way.
5, 4…
Entering the simulation field, Yoo Ara locked eyes on the hologram countdown before her. The exam began the instant it hit zero. First place. She had to take first.
Yoo Ara steeled her resolve.
And—
0.
Complete your assigned missions successfully.
The exam was underway.
Tank Lee Hye-ri up front, Jang Won-hu and Yoo Ara in the mid-line. They moved in a triangular formation, each hugging a corner.
"Kill 'em!"
The first ambush came faster than the first mission. A party lurking in the alley struck without warning.
Lee Hye-ri marked the enemies from the front, but as no pro tank, pulling aggro from all three was tough.
"No!"
One rogue-class cadet slipped past Lee Hye-ri, closing in on Yoo Ara.
"Just take out the telekinetic..."
Everyone knew telekinetics were weak to agility jobs. It was over, Lee Hye-ri thought as she broke through the foes.
Whoosh.
"Huh?"
Yoo Ara twisted her body lightly, dodging the attack. Everyone on site stared in shock.
"Wh-what?"
Yoo Ara was just as stunned. It's... real...
The rogue approached exactly as Kim Siu had described.
'Rogues focus lower-body moves more than upper. Rookies always dive into a caster's guard as their go-to pattern against us. Why? Most efficient.'
It was spot-on. Faster than her, sure, but visible enough to dodge.
"You, what the—"
The rogue never finished. Yoo Ara's telekinesis clamped his entire body.
23-D Jo Jae-hyun: Death confirmed. Disqualified.
The simulation field's magnetic pull yanked his gear to the floor.
Thud.
"Urk!"
The loser's exam ended there. First out, he'd probably repeat the year.
"You bastard!"
A warrior-class cadet broke Lee Hye-ri's aggro and charged. His moves were visible too.
'Warriors vary by weapon, but axe-users have huge wind-ups. This speed? Dodgable.'
Kim Siu's pattern intel held. Yoo Ara sidestepped and unleashed telekinesis.
23-D Lee Yu-hun: Death confirmed. Disqualified.
Another dropout. One left.
23-D Choi Mi-joo: Death confirmed. Disqualified.
Lee Hye-ri cleaned up the last. She and Jang Won-hu gawked at Yoo Ara.
"What caster dodges a rogue and warrior that nimbly? You really a repeater?" Jang Won-hu asked.
"Yeah."
"Then what the hell was that..."
"..."
Lee Hye-ri and Jang Won-hu both looked baffled.
"I've got a secret technique."
"What is it?"
"Can't say."
Yoo Ara realized it then: Kim Siu was a bit of a perv, sure, but his skills were the real deal. That's why she wouldn't spill. If others learned, he might not focus on her anymore. Pure instinct.
"Let's move. Time's ticking."
She was right. Other teams were advancing even now.
"Unbelievable movement," Professor Park Ji-yoon muttered, staring at the screen and clicking her tongue.
"Looked like trained reflexes to you too?"
"Yeah."
Park Ji-yoon nodded at Professor Choi Ik-hyeon, who was observing the exam footage with her.
"Last year—no, early this semester—she wasn't showing moves like that."
"Records say she hit mid-tier in recent fitness tests."
"Heh, must have a hell of a mentor."
"A retiree, maybe?"
"Dunno. But one thing's clear."
Park Ji-yoon listened closely. Choi Ik-hyeon was a melee expert, top-tier among the physical profs. His perspective differed from hers as a caster specialist.
"That kid's teacher is a battle-hardened pro. At least S-rank. Full-on S-rank hunter."
"Who?"
"No clue. But worth watching closely."
"Academy invite...?"
"Nah. If they wanted in, they'd be here already."
The profs watched Yoo Ara dismantle missions effortlessly. Even now, she dropped another cadet.
23-D Yang Hyun-woo: Death confirmed. Disqualified.
First place in the regular exam seemed locked.
"Hah, hah."
Yoo Ara reached the final zone with Lee Hye-ri and Jang Won-hu. The real last stretch. Cross that finish line and...
That's when it hit—a chilling killing intent. Yoo Ara twisted away.
"Ngh!"
Familiar weapon. Jang Won-hu, as expected. The agile melee dealer had speared for her back with his short spear.
"Betraying us here?"
"Thanks to you, I got dead last in the monthly. Had to go all-in for first."
"We could've all taken first together."
"No scholarship then."
Then, three rough-looking guys sauntered out from between buildings.
"Damn, you guys are fast. Almost late."
"Good work, Won-hu."
"Look at 'em. Other teams must've worn themselves out."
The cadets Jang Won-hu had chatted with during the first monthly eval.
"You didn't..."
"Crunching the scores, you two had to drop for me to win."
Jang Won-hu and his slouchy crew. Lee Hye-ri sidled up to Yoo Ara.
"Watch it. All C+ or higher."
"C+?"
First-years with overall C+ stats? She, a repeater, couldn't even hit C. Stat inflation, huh.
"Same as before, we can win. I'll hold 'em..."
Jang Won-hu smirked at them.
"Careful. Yoo Ara dodges weird if you approach normal. Go irregular."
"Got it."
2 vs. 4. Bad odds. Shaking off betrayal, Yoo Ara figured she could manage. C+.
Teacher Siu's at least A-rank.
A and C+ were worlds apart. She could dodge. One counter. That's all.
The four charged at once. Lee Hye-ri took two. But Jang Won-hu and the brute beside him...
Yoo Ara saw it. Their patterns. Slightly off from Kim Siu's lessons.
Her mind panicked. But her body—trained through hundreds of hits, caresses, dodges—remembered.
What to do here. Where to move.
Before thought, Yoo Ara rolled sideways. Bold tumble. She slipped both attacks.
The two, overcommitted to slice and stab, lurched off-balance.
Yoo Ara reached out.
"Die."
Massive telekinesis. In a real sim, their bodies would've crumpled.
"Gaaah!"
23-D Jang Won-hu: Death confirmed. Disqualified.
23-D Lee Deok-pal: Death confirmed. Disqualified.
And Yoo Ara saw it.
Her stats growing.
After that, simple. Yoo Ara and Lee Hye-ri handled the rest and crossed first.
23-D Class Group 33: Yoo Ara
23-D Class Group 33: Lee Hye-ri
"Yes!"
But joy was short-lived.
Battle royale for 1st place begins.
The exam forced a final showdown.
You could attack enemy cadets. That meant teammates too. The biggest difference from monthly evals.
They set it up this way on purpose. Better to show than tell that in the hunter world, no eternal friends or foes.
"Guess it came to this."
Lee Hye-ri drew her spear calmly.
"Knew it'd end with just us."
Yoo Ara swallowed hard, eyeing the spear. She's strong.
As an ally, she'd seen it. Lee Hye-ri was insanely stronger than other cadets. Just didn't fit tank. No basic aggro skills, yet tanking like a DPS.
That's why D-Class. She'd even soloed two others effortlessly. And that wasn't her full power.
She's holding back her DPS skills.
Spear tank? Pure technique, no skills, beating multiples. But that gave Yoo Ara a shot.
Strike early, before she uses skills.
Telekinesis for death ruling. Only win con. Kim Siu's drills etched in muscle memory. She could win now.
"Hoo."
Battle begins.
The alarm blared.
Lee Hye-ri charged fast.
"Haat!"
Yoo Ara dodged her trajectory.