Chapter 110: Final Exam (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 110: Final Exam (6)
“Hah… Hah…”
“Hoo…”
We both gasped for air, our lungs filled to their limit.
One side of the training ground was a wreck, and Yu Hana’s sword was completely broken.
Not the Dongbaek Sword, of course.
To be honest, I was very surprised.
Sparring, at its core, is just practice—a contest of swordsmanship with mana restricted.
That’s what Yu Hana had meant by sparring.
Her proficiency with the Butterfly Sword Dance, displayed within those limits, was beyond anything I had imagined.
The difference was razor-thin.
A technique I had spent ten years honing.
And my student, who had learned it for only a few months, was already breathing down my neck.
“...What in the world did you do during your seclusion training?”
I muttered to myself with a laugh, still catching my breath.
Yu Hana was lying flat on the ground, trying to even out her breathing.
Her training uniform had slipped slightly off her shoulder.
With each ragged breath, her damp hair clung to her cheeks, and the sweat-soaked fabric stuck to her body.
The front of her uniform was slightly undone, her chest rising and falling evenly with every inhalation.
It was a surprisingly sensual sight.
“I… lost.”
Yu Hana said, gasping for breath.
Instead of answering, I walked over and slowly sat down beside her.
Her glistening forehead, the scabbard tossed on the ground, the heat that still hadn’t cooled.
Amidst it all, Yu Hana smiled faintly and held out her wrist.
“Here.”
Then she added with a grin.
“Eliminate me.”
Her speech had become informal. From this point on, she wasn’t my disciple, Yu Hana, but the student, Yu Hana.
“You don’t have to be eliminated, you know.”
I meant it. Winning or losing didn’t matter.
What I wanted to see was the depth of her skill, and I had already seen more than enough of that.
It would be a shame for Yu Hana to be eliminated so soon.
“No. Eliminate me. That’s why I challenged you.”
I smiled at her words.
I had confirmed her technical proficiency.
She had been more serious, more diligent, and above all, more prepared than anyone.
I made my decision.
The unwavering focus in her eyes throughout the fight, and the will contained within them.
I looked forward to seeing her strength and growth when she could use her mana freely.
With this… the selection is complete.
“Hana.”
Still lying down, Yu Hana opened her eyes slightly to look at me.
“Yeah?”
“Are you going anywhere for summer break?”
“No. I’ll probably be training with my father…”
“Then tell your father. That you can’t train.”
“Huh?”
I gave a short laugh.
“Let’s go somewhere during summer break, you and I. Think of it as a trip.”
In that moment.
Her eyes widened. Her lips parted slightly.
And her face began to turn red.
Just as she was about to open her mouth.
– Beep.
My finger touched her Watch.
“See you later.”
[10 pt!]
As the elimination was processed, a soft light enveloped Yu Hana’s body.
“W-Wait! Where? What kind of trip? Overseas? China? The US?!”
Yu Hana shouted frantically, her body already half-faded.
But her silhouette soon scattered as if it had evaporated.
“How did she know…”
The destination for our trip was China.
I took a short breath and checked my watch.
[Time remaining until Offense-Defense Switch: 12:21]
The spar alone took over thirty minutes.
“Time to… get going.”
I left the training ground.
Next stop was the meeting point in front of the Heavenly Martial Hall.
*
Cheon Yeo-wool spoke to Yoon Chae-ha, who was walking beside her, tossing the words out casually.
“How many did you get?”
“Five.”
“I got seven.”
“…So what?”
Yoon Chae-ha and Cheon Yeo-wool had run into each other in the middle of the exam.
Their spawn points had been close, and they were both heading to the meeting spot.
The time was five minutes before the Offense-Defense Switch.
Knowing Jung Hae-in’s personality—always showing up exactly on time—it was about time to get moving.
“……”
“……”
They didn’t speak, but they walked in step.
And then, a tremendous roar shattered the silence.
– KRA-KOOOM!
Down below the mountain range, far in the distance, an explosion erupted with a plume of black smoke.
Judging by the scale of the explosion, it wasn’t the work of ordinary students.
“What was that?”
Cheon Yeo-wool muttered.
In that instant.
Yoon Chae-ha’s eyes glowed.
She had activated A Priori.
Reading the flow of space.
The being at the center of this commotion.
Yoon Chae-ha muttered under her breath.
“…Yu Serin.”
Yu Serin was ahead of them, in the direction they were heading.
It seemed some defense team members had foolishly picked a fight with her.
“Let’s take another route,”
Yoon Chae-ha said in a low voice.
Jung Hae-in had warned them. Never confront Yu Serin. If you see her, avoid her.
The same went for when they were on defense… but especially when on offense, it was an absolute rule.
But Cheon Yeo-wool didn’t stop walking.
“Hmm…”
She tilted her head slightly, the corners of her lips lifting in a small smile.
It was too late to turn back.
Jung Hae-in always arrived exactly on time. Hae-in might be waiting.
Besides, Yu Serin?
She had no information on Yu Serin.
In the previous timeline, she had been killed off quickly by the Lotus Guild’s master.
Of course, if Jung Hae-in said she was strong, she was strong, but a sense of defiance welled up in her.
‘Just how strong can she be?’
Lately, it felt like she was always trying to cozy up to him.
Cheon Yeo-wool’s senses were sharp.
“…I’m just going to go straight ahead,”
Cheon Yeo-wool said.
Honestly, Yoon Chae-ha’s thoughts weren’t much different.
Meeting Jung Hae-in had tempered her, but she was incredibly stubborn by nature.
Besides, she was already displeased with how Yu Serin kept approaching Jung Hae-in, just like last time.
“…Me too.”
Their eyes met.
A strange understanding passed between them in the air.
It was a surprisingly mutual moment.
They both let out a small smirk at the same time.
And without another word, they walked toward the center of the commotion.
*
[Time remaining until Offense-Defense Switch: 00:30]
When I arrived at the Heavenly Martial Hall, the timer on my Watch showed thirty seconds remaining.
But the two I was waiting for were nowhere to be seen.
“Why aren’t they here?”
They make such a fuss about meeting up, but then they can’t even be on time.
The offense team would be pouring in soon.
I needed to move toward the Boss before it was too late.
The first Boss to target was Do Han-seong.
He was positioned on the mountain behind the Heavenly Martial Hall.
Taking him down, a Silver Bell, would earn a lot of points.
In truth, there was something more dangerous than the offense team.
Yu Serin.
As the Black Bell, she could move around freely without a designated area.
Just then, an alarm rang from my Watch.
[Offense-Defense Switch initiated.]
[Current Personnel]
[Blue Team: 184] VS [White Team: 248]
[Current Score]
[380 Points] VS [660 Points]
[Offense and Defense will switch in 5 minutes.]
The numbers were just as I expected.
I had guessed that about two people from the White Team would be eliminated.
They were probably students who picked a fight with a Boss and got themselves killed.
I felt like giving a round of applause to the glorious first members of the offense team to be eliminated.
Just then, the list of eliminated players appeared on my Watch.
On the Blue Team’s side, aside from Yu Hana, they were mostly people I’d never even heard of.
It seemed mostly lower-ranked students were eliminated.
Out of habit, I opened the elimination list for the White Team.
Who could they be? The two idiots who got eliminated for poking a Boss that was just minding its own business.
[Rank 4: Cheon Yeo-wool]
[Rank: None, Yoon Chae-ha]
“……”
I rubbed my eyes.
I wanted to believe I’d seen it wrong.
“…What?”
I even said it out loud.
I thought they were getting along well lately. Looks like they got along so well they went and got themselves eliminated together.
“Seriously, what the hell did they do…”
And as if the kind Gaon system had anticipated my curiosity, it kindly displayed the reason for their elimination.
Their reason for elimination was…
[Reason for Elimination: Boss]
Since those two were on offense, all the Bosses would have their restrictions lifted.
But even so, there aren’t many instructors who could wipe the floor with both of them so cleanly.
…Only one person came to mind.
“…It was Yu Serin.”
A scene flashed through my mind. The looks on their faces when I told them about Yu Serin.
Both of them had looked skeptical.
‘Since you’re the one saying it, I’ll listen, but that’s all I’m going to do.’
That was the exact feeling I got.
I slowly nodded.
“Serves them right.”
I muttered, slowly shaking my head.
Yu Serin is the Black Bell. That doesn’t mean she attacks unconditionally.
Meaning, she won’t fight you just for crossing paths.
They either deliberately crossed her path and entered her territory, or they attacked her first.
In either case, they deserved to be eliminated.
I scrapped my plan to go after Do Han-seong.
“Hoo…”
It’s tiring to do it alone, and there’s no need.
[140 PT]
“I guess I’ll use this.”
I brought up my Watch and placed a marker on the Hidden Location I’d noted.
It was time to spend some points.
Revival?
“Nah.”
The thought suddenly vanished from my mind.
I muttered under my breath.
“Just get some rest.”
*
“Ahaha! Ahahahaha!!”
A laugh so loud it seemed to shake the very space echoed around them.
In the middle of the Elimination Zone where dozens of eliminated students were gathered.
On the monitor, the movements of the participants still on the battlefield were being broadcast in real time.
In front of it, Yu Hana was clutching her sides, roaring with laughter.
“Serves you right, doesn’t it?”
Yu Hana pointed a finger at each of them in turn, the corners of her mouth curling into a sneer.
“After so confidently marching to your doom~ you two must be best friends now~”
Cheon Yeo-wool pressed her lips together tightly, while Yoon Chae-ha turned her head away.
They had nothing to say in response.
They hadn’t expected Yu Serin to be that strong.
Both of their gazes were fixed on the giant screen.
It showed Jung Hae-in heading toward a Hidden Point.
“…Hae-in will revive us.”
Cheon Yeo-wool muttered. Beside her, Yoon Chae-ha nodded.
The eliminated students had heard from the moderators. If they were lucky enough to be chosen, they could be revived.
“Exactly.”
Yu Hana added leisurely, crossing her arms.
“You two, who got eliminated after arranging to meet up, then ignoring his advice and charging straight in…”
She finished, her smirk widening.
“He’s going to save you?”
At her words, Cheon Yeo-wool and Yoon Chae-ha silently glared at the screen, their lips pressed into a thin, firm line.
They couldn’t think of a single rebuttal.
Yu Hana, wearing a triumphant smile, delivered the final blow.
“Don’t you think he’d save me, the one he promised to go on a trip with during summer break?”
““What?””
Both their heads snapped around at the same time.
Yu Hana blinked her eyes innocently.