Exams After the Entrance Ceremony (2)
"This year's batch is definitely full of promising talent."
In the president's office at the top floor of the academy, a 55-inch monitor displayed the class assignment exam grounds.
"I figured no one would get the opening exam right, but two cadets with sharp intuition pulled it off..."
Lee Jin-chang, an executive from the Hero Association, remarked as he stared at the screen.
"Both of them are handsome in that clean-cut way. The girl especially—she must've gotten confessed to left and right back in officer training. Both cut from the Choi Ji-seong cloth, huh? Good looks, good intuition."
"Good intuition, my ass."
Hanseong Academy President Kang Yu-han sucked on a straw stuck in a milk carton, responding indifferently. True to his moniker of the "Ageless Saint," he had the appearance of a boy.
"You think they nailed it because of sharp intuition?"
"Wasn't it?"
"Nah."
"How can you tell...?"
"You can just see it. Look closely."
Kang Yu-han set the milk carton on the table and wiggled his fingers in the air. The remote on the desk pressed itself, manipulating the monitor.
"Rewind 30 seconds, and the hint's right there."
With his gesture, the screen zoomed in and rewound 30 seconds, focusing on Mo Ye-ji's face.
"See the girl grimace?"
"Yeah... some kind of ability?"
"Bingo."
"Something that boosts intuition?"
"Nope. Different ability."
Kang Yu-han gestured again, and the tablet on the desk floated up into his hand. It contained profiles of the cadets.
"Let's see... Cadet Mo Ye-ji... Oh ho, that's her ability. No wonder she aced the bonus round."
The opening exam was designed to give extra points to those with special abilities. It was normal for regular cadets to miss it—impossible at their level to even grasp the answer.
"What ability is it?"
"You know cadet info's confidential, right?"
Kang Yu-han burst into a hearty laugh.
"Sheesh..."
Lee Jin-chang scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.
"Then the guy has an ability too?"
"Nope."
"So he really does have sharp intuition?"
Kang Yu-han gestured in the air again. The remote responded, shifting the monitor screen.
"See the guy's face?"
"Yeah... that."
"Exactly. He was just watching the girl and copying her moves."
"So not intuition—street smarts. Or just dumb luck... Sheesh."
Lee Jin-chang smacked his lips in disappointment.
"In the end, no one in this class for elite special forces or demon-hunting units. We need that sharp intuition..."
"Street smarts beats intuition any day."
"What do you...?"
"I've lived 150 years."
Kang Yu-han took another sip of milk.
"Age teaches you things."
"Like what?"
"The talented ones die young."
"......"
"What's the point of talent if you're dead? Street smarts keeps you alive. At least you won't go out like a dog. On that note, the guy's a perfect 100."
He was the sole survivor of humanity from the Outbound Incident 150 years ago. Some called him the "Immortal Saint" for it.
"...Ahem."
Lee Jin-chang cleared his throat to lighten the heavy mood.
"Anyway, President. No demons spotted yet?"
"None so far. I'll call the Association the second I spot one."
"Thank you."
...After that, we moved locations for a few more tests.
True to its reputation as a hub of cutting-edge tech, the academy scored everything with state-of-the-art systems. I moved while conscious of the tiny hovering drones and cameras.
Bzzz.
This test gauged coordination, self-control, and response time. It sounded fancy, but it was simple: navigate the maze-like path to the goal.
Boom!
Holographic traps popped up along the way to test reactions. Attacking a holo-civilian docked points; freezing at a holo-monster docked points. That sort of thing.
...Just moments ago, a small firecracker had gone off underfoot. Nearly startled me. Even knowing it's coming, instinctive reactions are hard to suppress.
Good thing I'd been tailing Mo Ye-ji—her predictions made it easy. She had precognition, the ability to see the future, after all.
"......"
Twenty minutes into the maze test. We were nearing the goal, so no need to stick close anymore.
Time to put some distance between us.
As I thought that, Mo Ye-ji, walking ahead, suddenly whipped around.
"Hey."
Up close, her face was stunning. Her shining silver hair made her look like an angel.
"...Hey?"
"Uh, what?"
I'd zoned out, reacting slow.
"...Casual speech?"
"We're both newbies, right?"
"......"
She seemed dissatisfied with my attitude. Makes sense—no one her age acts as shamelessly as I do.
But age makes you brazen somehow. Embarrassment fades...
"Haa."
She furrowed her brow and let out a deep sigh.
"You've been trailing right behind me since earlier. Why are you following me? Huh?"
She wasn't wrong. From the instructor exam to now, I'd been riding her coattails the whole way. This test too.
"...Hey? Answer me."
But I couldn't say that outright. Drones and cameras were still watching.
"Wasn't following."
"......"
"Wasn't following... ma'am."
Her glare was so fierce, I slipped into polite speech without thinking. Pretty faces have some weird pull.
"Don't lie."
"Not lying... ma'am."
"Haa, seriously."
She ruffled her silver hair and spoke softly.
"Fine. You go first."
I shrugged.
Time check: goal was right around the corner, and she was yielding?
"...You sure that's okay?"
I have a conscience, you know.
"It's fine. And use polite speech."
"Well, if you insist... I won't hold back."
I walked past her.
Mo Ye-ji waited until a good distance opened up before starting after me—wary I'd tail her again.
And...
As expected, the goal appeared soon after.
Whoa... snagged first place.
I'd planned to settle for second out of courtesy, but this works.
"Wha...!"
Mo Ye-ji, realizing late, yelled from behind.
"Hey, what...!"
Screaming before reaching would've docked points.
The coordination and response test wrapped up.
"Good work, everyone."
One final test left.
"Some of you aced it, some bombed. Judging by your faces, most think they underperformed. Heh heh heh."
Instructor Park Dae-sik said.
"Don't sweat it too much. Unless you tanked hard, the last test can turn it around."
He laughed heartily, slapping his palm with his fist.
"The final one's a sparring practical. Best way to gauge your real power for class assignments. It'll be 1v1s at the sparring gym, matchups auto-generated by our pride-and-joy advanced AI system. But..."
Park Dae-sik paused, stroking his chin.
"Looks like one's missing."
Over 300 new cadets. Spotting the absence with a glance—heroes gonna hero.
"Who's AWOL...? One sec."
He pulled out his tablet to check records when heavy breathing came from behind.
"Huff huff huff... Aigoo. So tiring..."
A girl with fiery red hair, looking beat to hell, staggered into the goal area, panting.
"Uwaa... dead last."
It was Go Su-young.
"You're late."
"S-sorry. I, uh..."
"Enough. Fall in."
"Yes sir!"
She acted just like 15 years ago. Fell asleep during the instructor exam, picked the weakest-looking one last-minute for rock-bottom score. Got lost here thanks to her terrible sense of direction, dead last again.
Even with me as a variable, some things stayed on rails.
Here's hoping the matchups match 15 years ago too. I drew Kim Chun-sam, a weakling.
"Alright, that's the rundown. Sparring after lunch. Check the bracket."
Park Dae-sik clapped, and a hologram materialized like a blackboard, generating the matchups.
I stretched while scanning for my opponent.
"Huh."
My opponent was Choi Ji-seong.