Episode 23: Regular Exam (1)
Episode 23: Regular Exam (1)
"Baek Han-beom?"
Yoo A-ra widened her eyes, staring at him without realizing it.
'Is it the Baek Han-beom I know?'
Baek Han-beom.
Among this year's academy freshmen, there were three highly anticipated prospects called supernovas.
Lee Hye-ri, the younger sister of the world-class tanker Lee Gang-san, who possessed speed faster than anyone else.
Kwon Jun-hyeok, who had experience clearing an A-class dungeon with the prestigious 'Hopan' guild even before entering the academy.
And Baek Han-beom, the tanker prospect tapped to be the next tanker to lead Korea, following in Lee Gang-san's footsteps.
Except for Lee Hye-ri, those two were people who were already playing active roles in Class A.
Naturally, they were people from a completely different world than Yoo A-ra.
If it were Baek Han-beom, he should have been forming a team with the other members in Class A.
Why is he in a team with us, who are in Class D......?
"It seems you are curious about why we ended up in the same team."
Baek Han-beom, clad in snow-white steel armor, spoke.
"Oh, eh? A-ah, no. Hahaha."
"I requested this team because I was curious about Lee Hye-ri-ssi and Yoo A-ra-sunbae-nim, who suddenly took 1st and 2nd place, surpassing all of us."
"Ah......."
Baek Han-beom bowed his head.
"I look forward to working with you. Sunbae-nim."
"Ah, yes......."
Yoo A-ra nodded awkwardly and accepted his greeting.
Sunbae-nim, she said.
This kind of treatment was unfamiliar.
However, she couldn't hide the corners of her mouth curling upward.
She had always been treated as a loser, a repeater.
It was unfamiliar to be treated with respect by someone for the first time, but it felt good.
"The team balance is good. I'll take the tanker role, Hye-ri-ssi will be the close-range dealer, and Yoo A-ra-sunbae-nim will provide support with psychokinesis......."
"No."
Lee Hye-ri interrupted Baek Han-beom's words.
"I'm the tanker. Don't try to take my spot."
"...Don't tell me you still haven't given up on being a tanker?"
"Yeah. I took 1st place as a tanker. I have the qualifications, too."
Baek Han-beom looked at Yoo A-ra.
"Sunbae-nim, you decide. You know better than anyone, don't you? How well Lee Hye-ri-ssi did."
"M-me?"
"Yes. Do you really think she can be a tanker?"
"...W-well, that is......."
Yoo A-ra recalled it.
The various gaps that had occurred because Lee Hye-ri wasn't a proper tanker.
Lee Hye-ri lacked taunt skills and skills to block wide-area attacks.
Because of that, the monsters or cadets would immediately ignore the tanker and rush toward the dealers.
However, Yoo A-ra had covered for that well enough to seize 1st place.
Right.
'Lee Hye-ri isn't suited for a tanker.'
But still.
Yoo A-ra knew.
How hard Lee Hye-ri was trying to become a tanker.
This was an important exam.
Her bet with Kim Si-woo was riding on the results of this exam.
Kim Si-woo's promise to grant her anything if she took 1st place.
'If you fall out of the top 5, I'll promote my tutoring.'
For some reason, she hated that.
She had a greedy desire to keep him all to herself a little longer.
At the same time, she wanted to trust Lee Hye-ri, her comrade who had fought alongside her.
Two conflicting desires swam within Yoo A-ra.
"Yes."
Yoo A-ra nodded heavily.
"Is that so?"
"Hye-ri can do it well enough. I believe in her."
"I see. Understood. If Sunbae-nim says so."
Lee Hye-ri snorted and steeled her resolve.
"Then I will drop down to sub-tank. The attacks from the various villains we will face are diverse, so let's go with the feeling of holding out for as long as possible between the two of us. In the meantime, Yoo A-ra-sunbae-nim will go with the method of rescuing civilians and opening a path to escape."
"Sounds good."
She had thought the disagreement would drag on, but Baek Han-beom backed down surprisingly easily.
"Then, I look forward to working with you. This 2nd exam will be broadcast to the public as a video, so let's show them a good performance."
"Let's do that."
Yoo A-ra steeled her resolve.
Just as Baek Han-beom said, the 2nd exam, which involved facing villains, was different from the 1st and 3rd exams which were held privately, and the 4th exam which was only revealed to scouts; the exam footage was released to the general public.
The reasons were diverse.
It was to show the public how hunters were educated and took exams, and how fiercely they fought.
The footage, which had initially started as a mechanism to alleviate the conflict between the Awakened and the general public, had now become a sort of sport—which was a problem in itself.
Although there was criticism that it had now become a showcase for academy cadets to promote themselves, it was a tradition that still continued because the exam footage was popular.
"Let's do our best."
The newly formed Team 33 of Class D steeled their resolve as they looked at each other.
-The cadets are entering.
I was focused on my training in a corner of the training center with my phone playing.
With the host's announcement that the 2nd exam had begun, the cadets entered the massive simulation arena.
Yoo A-ra's Team 33, entering last.
"They're nervous."
I watched the video, sweating profusely.
The camera was focusing on Team 33, including Yoo A-ra.
Yoo A-ra and Lee Hye-ri, the protagonists who caused the upset in the 1st exam.
Along with the host's explanation that she, who had been a repeater, had suddenly taken 2nd place, comments poured in.
-A repeater from last year took 2nd place?
-F*ck, did she pay them off? How is that possible?
-The academy is forcing another hero. How do these guys never change?
-She's f*cking pretty though.
-Bullshit, no. Lee Hye-ri is better.
-Which one is better? Hye-ri or A-ra?
-Ban the low-level trolls.
-You're going to get sued for that.
Countless raw, unfiltered internet chats were flying up.
It was a relief that Yoo A-ra wasn't seeing those posts.
-Isn't that Baek Han-beom next to them?
-The Baek Han-beom and Lee Hye-ri combo is insane.
-Isn't it a foul to have two top prospects on one team?
-They'll take 1st place here.
-Tell the loser stuck in between them to get out. Looks like she took 2nd place in the 1st exam because of Lee Hye-ri.
-Is a Warrant Officer higher? Or is a First Lieutenant higher?
-Where the hell is a Warrant Officer? LOL, did you not serve in the military? LOL
-Stop getting hooked by trolls, you moron.
-But didn't Lee Hye-ri say she was switching to a tanker?
-With that talent, a tanker? Why on earth?
-Lee Gang-san is smiling.
Baek Han-beom.
A promising tanker who had been receiving expectations recently was also with them.
It was an unexpected team member.
"The team balance isn't good."
It wasn't like Lee Hye-ri would have volunteered to be a dealer.
A tanker-wannabe, a professional tanker, and a psychokinetic.
It was a combination severely lacking in damage.
Unless Lee Hye-ri performed well as a dealer.
It was clear they would focus more on rescuing civilians than hunting villains.
If this goes wrong, Yoo A-ra will be stuck doing all the heavy lifting alone.
"Do well."
I cheered for Yoo A-ra on the screen.
You are a student I raised.
My reputation also rises if you do well.
It won't be easy, looking at the team members, though.
"If you can, take 1st place."
Because I will grant whatever wish you desire.
I did set the condition that she promote my tutoring if she didn't make it into the top 5.
However, that was a slight penalty I gave her.
'The fact that she didn't intentionally tell the others means she wants to monopolize me.'
It's not that I don't understand her possessiveness.
Even though she passed the 1st exam in 2nd place, Yoo A-ra was still standing on the edge of a cliff.
She must have a great desire to get even better grades.
That's why I set it.
A condition she would hate.
But for me, the truly good promotion is Yoo A-ra taking 1st place.
Surpassing all those talented hunter prospects and taking 1st place for the academy cadets to see.
That was the best promotion.
"Do your best. Don't break."
I cheered for Yoo A-ra on the screen while swinging my sword.
I don't know if it's just my imagination.
Her face seemed to look somewhat more at ease.
[Heartfelt Support is delivered.]
[Passive: Growth Assist (SSS) effect activates.]
What?
[Additional effect applied to Yoo A-ra activates.]
[Additional stats are added for a certain period of time.]
[Checking skills linked to Yoo A-ra.]
-Strength Growth (A)
-Mana Overflow (S)
-Sharpness (A)
-Super Recovery (S)
-Fast Stride (S)
[Strength, Mana, Intelligence, Stamina, and Agility temporarily grow by 2 levels each.]
[Duration: 2 hours]
Huh, look at this?
"If you had something like this, you should have told me sooner."
Her body felt light, to an strange degree.
"What is this?"
Yoo A-ra clenched her fist.
She had more strength than usual.
How should I put it?
It felt several times better than when she felt she was in peak condition.
This was a state that couldn't be explained just by saying her condition had improved.
'Is it because I've been practicing hard lately?'
If it wasn't that, nothing else came to mind.
If she had to pick one thing.
Sleeping while holding Kim Si-woo's clothes in her arms to increase her concentration the day before the exam.
She had told him she was washing them, but she felt it was a waste, so she kept putting off the laundry and now she slept hugging his clothes like a teddy bear.
She thought it was strange, but she couldn't help it.
She slept better when she did that.
'Of course, I told Ssaem that I was doing the laundry for him, but.......'
Her face turned red as she remembered what she had done with Si-woo's clothes.
"Ugh, let's forget it. Forget it. Now is the time to focus."
"What are you forgetting?"
Lee Hye-ri, who was standing next to her, asked.
"U-uh? A-ah, it's nothing! Ha, hahahat."
Yoo A-ra, feeling guilty for no reason at her pure gaze, waved her hands in a hurry.
She couldn't tell her.
How could she say it?
That she slept hugging a man's clothes the night before the exam.
"Ara-ya, your face is red."
"W-why is it so hot? I-is it because it's summer? Hauuu."
"It's cold because they turned the air conditioning up high."
"Alright, everyone, focus. It's starting soon."
At Baek Han-beom's words, Yoo A-ra focused her mind.
Even while doing so, time was flowing.
-Now, we will begin the 2nd exam in 10 seconds!
She heard the voice of Professor Park Ji-yoon, who was acting as the host.
-10! 9! 8! 7.......
Every time her voice continued, tension began to fill the scene.
And the appearance of the simulation arena changed.
A city half-collapsed by the attacks of villains.
It was a space that recreated the Chuncheon raid incident by the Villain Alliance that had happened 4 years ago.
An exam task created with the intention of not forgetting the tragedy of that day and moving forward.
Yoo A-ra looked at the Chuncheon created by the simulation.
-The exam begins!
With those words, Professor Park Ji-yoon's voice as the host disappeared.
"Kyaaaaaa!!!"
Screams of people began to be heard from all sides.
Kwaaaaang!
She could hear the sound of villains moving in the distance.
"Let's move."
It was an exam that felt more real than ever.
They looked around in all directions and moved forward.