Chapter 31

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: Trainee Murder Attempt Incident

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After the demonstration ceremony ended and I returned to the dorms, someone came looking for me late at night. From his appearance, he seemed to be another trainee like me.

"Excuse me, are you Lee Yun-seong?"

"Ah, yes. That's me. What can I do for you...?"

"Well... It's not exactly my business, but someone from Incarnation Clan said they wanted to meet with you personally..."

'...At this hour?'

I checked the man's status window, and sure enough, he was a trainee just like me. His stats were average, too.

"Are you referring to Chief Instructor Kang Sung-jun, by any chance?"

"No, it was someone else. He was wearing Incarnation Clan's uniform, so he must be from the clan. He asked me to tell you to come to the place he mentioned."

"...Where is this place?"

When I arrived at the location, there was a man standing there with a dagger at his waist.

I opened my status window to confirm, and while he wasn't as strong as Kang Sung-jun or Yoon Yeon, he was definitely top-tier.

'...Why is this guy looking for me...?'

He didn't look like an instructor, more like an Incarnation Clan member, but I couldn't fathom why he'd seek me out personally.

"...Are you the one who called for me?"

"Ah, you're Trainee Lee Yun-seong, right?"

"Yes... that's me, but..."

"I have something to discuss about clan recruitment. It's important, so I wanted to talk privately..."

"Ah, I see."

'...What the hell? Why me and not Seo Yu-ju?'

A bad feeling crept in for a moment, but this guy wouldn't be crazy enough to try anything. The graduation ceremony hadn't even happened yet—I was still a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠trainee.

"It's a bit crowded here with people passing by... Would you mind following me for a sec? It's about the clan, after all..."

I hesitated. Something felt off.

As I pondered, the man continued.

"It's important for Trainee Seo Yu-ju and Trainee Lee Yu-hyeon too."

"...Alright."

He led me into a narrow alley inside the training facility. I hadn't even known a place like this existed.

"So, what exactly is this about?"

"........."

I was staring at the man's back while he stood silently.

"Um...?"

The man turned around, looking at me with a different tone in his voice.

"...I'm warning you. After this meeting, go straight to the clan master and say you're refusing to join. Just you—not Seo Yu-ju or the others."

I was utterly bewildered. The suspicion I'd harbored was turning out to be true, and it was ridiculous.

'...Is this guy insane?'

This was still inside the training facility. He'd really pull something this stupid?

"...What are you talking about? Cancel my recruitment?"

"Trash... I saw you at the demonstration. Average would've been one thing, but you're a complete loser. We can't let someone like you into our clan."

'Ha...'

The demonstration had already left me in a foul mood, and now this idiot had to show up.

If I didn't handle this here, he'd keep causing trouble after I joined.

Even if I pretended to cancel now, who knows what he'd do later. Once I graduated, I wouldn't have trainee protections anymore. If I was going to settle this, it had to be now.

He didn't seem rational, so talking felt pointless, but I tried anyway.

"May I ask... why go this far? Couldn't I shine in some other way after joining?"

"...Hahaha! You? Someone like you? Are you that clueless as a newbie? If that were the case, you should've picked production or support jobs. I wouldn't be doing this if you were an appraiser, alchemist, or blacksmith."

"........."

"Pathetic worm. Let me tell you something: combat-class folks without talent are all useless. You're probably the same."

The man kept ranting.

"I heard from the clan master that Seo Yu-ju bargained for you and An Tae-woo in exchange for her and the others joining. You have no pride?"

'Ha.'

I'd figured Seo Yu-ju had traded for me and An Tae-woo, but hearing it straight from someone else hit different.

'Fucking annoying.'

A chuckle escaped me involuntarily.

"......Heh."

"You little shit... You dare laugh?"

"Pffft!"

My ill-timed laughter made his face flush red with uncontrollable rage.

It was obvious I needed to resolve this. Unless I was ready to ditch my party members, I had to get rid of this guy somehow.

'Whether ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠physically or socially.'

His title suddenly came to mind.

Anger Management Disorder.

'I can use that.'

Enemies had to be eliminated, one way or another. That was true back on Earth, and even more so here where lives were on the line.

"Heh... Fuck, this is hilarious."

"...What?"

"Why the hell would I cancel? After hearing your bullshit, I want to join even more."

He hadn't expected this reaction and was momentarily speechless.

"You moron. Does your clan master know you're pulling this?"

"How dare you! Speak the clan master's name?"

"Your clan master seemed wise, but you look like a total mess."

Whoosh—

'Huh?'

He suddenly punched my stomach.

Thud!

"Guh...! Urk.... Urghhh!"

'Good.'

"You filthy worm!"

"Urghhh... Pff... Heh... Cough...!"

"Still laughing?"

He drew his dagger and smashed the hilt into my face.

Crack—!

"Aaaargh!"

"Laugh more, you clueless bastard...!"

'Fuck... That hurts too much.'

This was my plan to resolve things, but the goal was serious injury, not death.

But my brain ignored my body's pleas. Despite the screams to stop, my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mind issued the commands I wanted.

"Urghhh... You fucking idiot...! Pff.... Ptui."

The blood-tinged spit I spat splattered on his face.

"........."

He swung the dagger hilt at my right arm.

Krunch—

"Gaaaaah!"

He seemed to hold back just enough—my arm bone shattered but didn't pulverize completely.

"Aaaargh!"

The intense pain was new to me; I couldn't hold back the screams.

He pointed the dagger blade at me.

"Next, I'll stab. Say you'll cancel...!"

He wouldn't actually stab. His trait might kill me.

Bone Destroyer (Legendary Grade) - If your weapon cuts through an opponent's flesh and touches their bone, it triggers a small explosion there. Strength stat permanently increases by 4.

If I was on the brink of death, a priest could heal me, but if that trait activated, no one knew if I'd survive.

'But this is what I wanted.'

I also figured out how he used his trait.

Master of Dagger Throwing (Heroic Grade) - Greatly increases understanding of dagger throwing.

He probably threw daggers normally. The explosion might not affect him, but I was half-convinced it would.

No, screw conviction—this was my only option.

Against a powerhouse like him, there was no safe way out.

If he dragged me somewhere for treatment, all my actions proving he attacked me would be for nothing. Any evidence of his intimidation would vanish.

I needed to shake him off and escape with clear, visible wounds.

I hesitated briefly at the impending pain but steeled myself.

'No other way...'

As he aimed the blade at me, I thrust my unbroken left arm onto it.

"Huh?"

Boom!

Splat—

He hadn't expected it and couldn't dodge the explosion. Clutching his hand that held the dagger, he staggered back.

But I wasn't unscathed either.

Splatter—

My left arm, shredded by the blast, fell to the ground.

"Guh... Urk... Cough...!"

My face, right in front of the blast, was wrecked too. I'd never felt physical pain like this.

Thankfully, the small explosion spared my head.

"Guh.... Urk...."

But the plan wasn't going as hoped. I could barely move.

'Am I... dying like this?'

My consciousness faded. My eyes grew heavy.

'Run... gotta run...'

"Fucking... bastard.. Cough.... Pffft..."

It was absurd—I'd gotten tangled with this psycho and was done for. A hollow laugh escaped.

As my eyes closed and consciousness slipped, I glimpsed a figure rushing toward us. Someone must've heard the explosion.

Then, blackness.

Back at the dorm, I noticed Yun-seong was gone, so I asked Yu-hyeon.

"Yu-hyeon, where's Yun-seong? He stepped out briefly, but now he's not here?"

"Huh... Hyung? Yun-seong hyung ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠got called out by someone..."

"...Who called Yun-seong—no, Yun-seong-ssi?"

"Yeah. Another trainee came and said something to him..."

Who would call Yun-seong out this late? It didn't make sense.

"Did you catch what they talked about?"

"...Sorry, I didn't hear much. Just caught the words 'Incarnation Clan'."

A chill ran down my spine. Incarnation Clan had no reason to summon Yun-seong privately. If it was important, they'd call me.

"...Do you know which way they went?"

"Not exactly... Seemed like outside the building..."

"Thanks. I'll head out for a bit, sis?"

"Sure, Yu-ju noona."

After hearing from Yu-hyeon, I started searching outside. No one around—it was late, and people usually stayed indoors.

About ten minutes in, I heard a faint explosion and sensed a subtle mana reaction. It was distant.

I channeled mana into my legs and dashed toward it. My mana pool wasn't huge, so I rarely did this, but now wasn't the time for caution.

My heart pounded—not from exertion, but dread.

'Please... no, nothing could've happened...'

I'd checked thoroughly. In this regression, nothing threatened Yun-seong yet.

I'd even picked Incarnation Clan deliberately, deeming it safe for him. Kang Sung-jun was a good guy, after all.

The nightmares from the first round flashing back? Just my imagination.

But the sight that greeted me was hell.

"Ah... Ah..."