Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Provocation from Team 3
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After Team 3 had vanished from sight, the atmosphere among the remaining members of Team 8 was frigid.
Unlike her usual self, Shar had wiped the smile from her face. She furrowed her brow, pursed her lips, let out a deep sigh, then turned around and bowed deeply to Su-hyeok, Jin Chang-hyeok, and Baek Yi-yeon.
"Instructor Shar!"
Baek Yi-yeon cried out in surprise, waving her hands frantically.
"I'm sorry, all of you."
Shar's voice followed swiftly.
"Because of my carelessness, I put Trainee Jin Chang-hyeok in danger during training and got Trainee Yang Su-hyeok injured."
"I'm fine."
Jin Chang-hyeok waved it off as he spoke.
"I'm okay too."
Su-hyeok spread his hands to show, chiming in.
Thanks to Baek Yi-yeon rushing over right after the fight and healing him, his torn palms were now perfectly fine.
"No, this is unequivocally my fault. As the lead instructor, I failed to maintain proper control... I will formally lodge a complaint with the Imugi Guild in the name of Kal Eluriate."
"You don't need to go that far..."
The usually taciturn Jin Chang-hyeok couldn't hide his discomfort, but Shar's eyes remained resolute even as she straightened up.
"No, you all deserve an apology. I'm sorry for showing such a dishonorable display."
Shar bowed her head once more.
The three could only manage awkward smiles.
Once practical training wrapped up, they stopped by the association branch near the portal to wash up and sell monster byproducts or mana stones together.
By the time they finished that process and stepped out, it was already 6 p.m.
The sun was beginning to set.
Su-hyeok was preparing to dash home as usual when...
"Thank you."
Jin Chang-hyeok approached and bowed his head in greeting.
He remembered that in the moment of danger, Su-hyeok had thrown himself forward to snatch the arrow.
"Ah... It was just the obvious thing to do."
As always, Su-hyeok brushed it off lightly, like it was nothing.
That's genuinely how he felt.
A teammate was in peril, and he was the one who could react.
Protecting him was only natural.
"Still, thank you. I avoided a serious injury because of you."
Jin Chang-hyeok scratched the back of his head, offering a somewhat clumsy smile.
"Then next time, I'll treat you to a meal—no, how about coffee?"
Meals were pricey these days.
Coffee could be expensive too depending on the place, but he figured a vending machine mix coffee wouldn't burden the struggling Jin Chang-hyeok too much.
"Definitely. I'll cover the meal and coffee."
"Then I'd feel bad."
The two shared warm laughs as they exited the association together.
'Now that I look at him, even basic expressions feel awkward for him.'
Su-hyeok sensed that Jin Chang-hyeok's face just didn't know how to emote properly overall.
It was a telltale sign of someone who'd lived a life where expressing emotions was tough.
For some reason, it made him worry even more.
He wasn’t some hero or grand martial knight with boundless compassion, but he couldn’t help feeling drawn to people like Jin Chang-hyeok. Su-hyeok was human, after all.
"Whoa, you two are ditching me and heading off alone?!"
Baek Yi-yeon caught up quickly from behind, calling out.
"Didn't you leave first?"
Su-hyeok asked her in surprise.
He'd distinctly felt her changing clothes and heading out ahead.
"Leave? Where to? I had stuff to say today and was waiting to go together, but you guys vanished while I was in the bathroom. You have no idea how startled I was!"
"Oh, that's what happened?"
"Chang-hyeok oppa didn't even pick up his phone."
Baek Yi-yeon puffed out her cheeks, glaring at Jin Chang-hyeok.
"Ah, I... had it on vibrate and missed it."
Jin Chang-hyeok replied, looking flustered.
"Whatever. It can't be helped. Old man, hand over your phone."
"Why?"
"Gimme."
"Why?"
"Ugh, hurry up!"
Su-hyeok handed over his phone with a suspicious glance. Baek Yi-yeon snatched it like a pro and tapped the touchscreen at lightning speed.
Her fingers moved so fast that Su-hyeok was inwardly impressed.
'She'd be pretty good at swordsmanship if I taught her.'
Sword arts were finger work, after all.
With moves like hers, Baek Yi-yeon could easily reach first-class martial artist level.
"Done. But old man, your contacts are so basic. How do you only have Mom, Dad, and your little sister?"
As she returned the phone, Su-hyeok tilted his head, eyes widening.
"Who are you gonna show it to?"
"I wasn't snooping, I was just adding mine... It wasn't on purpose."
Baek Yi-yeon bowed her head quick and shrugged her shoulders.
She looked genuinely scared of Su-hyeok's glare.
He wasn't cold-hearted enough to stay mad at that face.
Honestly, it wasn't even a big deal worth getting angry over, especially since it wasn't intentional.
"Fine. Just be more careful next time."
"Yes! Sorry."
Baek Yi-yeon continued in a deflated tone.
"Just in case, I added my number and Chang-hyeok oppa's. That's okay, right?"
Her cautious expression was so cute that Su-hyeok finally cracked a smile and nodded.
"Yeah. Good."
Her face brightened at his upbeat reply.
"Good? For real?"
"Yeah. For real."
"Woo-hoo! So now all three of us have each other's numbers? Wait, no—oppa needs old man's number too. Call him. Call."
Her beaming face led to cheers and claps.
Su-hyeok and even Chang-hyeok found themselves smiling at the sight.
'She's the type that makes it hard to say no.'
Having Su-a made her feel even more like a little sister.
The three called each other to exchange numbers fully, then walked together.
Su-hyeok usually ran home solo, so paths never crossed, but today they decided to take the subway with their teammates.
"By the way, Team 3 today was so annoying."
This seemed to be the main point she'd been itching to bring up.
Su-hyeok and Jin Chang-hyeok groaned in unison.
"They should've apologized properly. What was that? I never thought much of the Imugi Guild before, but the instructor's weird too. If Chang-hyeok oppa or our old man got hurt, I seriously wouldn't have held back."
Baek Yi-yeon huffed, clenching her fist and throwing a boxing jab into the air.
"Pfft-haha."
Su-hyeok, whose brow had furrowed, burst into laughter.
"Eh, why are you laughing?"
"'Cause you're cute."
Jin Chang-hyeok answered.
His smile was still awkward, but his eyes shone with sincerity.
"Me? Well, I am kinda cute. Hehe."
Baek Yi-yeon blinked wide-eyed before sticking up her nose proudly.
If her superpower made Pinocchio noses grow, it would've shot right past Su-hyeok's head, who was 20cm taller.
"Anyway, I never want to see them again. Not even after we all awaken."
"Same here."
Su-hyeok agreed fully.
"Me too."
Jin Chang-hyeok nodded.
Recalling the faces of Team 3—people they only wanted to avoid except maybe on the last day—the three headed to their homes.
And as night passed, the next day dawned.
Screeech—!
While hunting goblins again the next day, another arrow came flying.
This time, Shar reacted instantly.
She blocked Su-hyeok's path and deflected the arrow with a casual flick of her hand. No smile graced her face.
Her expression was as cold as Antarctic ice, her eyes sharper than ever before.
"Jeon Su-jeong."
"Ahh, sorry. Sorry. But it wasn't on purpose."
Jeon Su-jeong's voice echoed from the reeds, and Team 3 emerged, all laughing together.
At that absurd remark, Su-hyeok, Jin Chang-hyeok, and Baek Yi-yeon's faces hardened.
"I just shot in that direction because Instructor Shar told me to try once. I didn't know you were there. Sorry."
Jin Chae-yeon fiddled with her bowstring like a violin, speaking lightly.
The two men flanking her, Kim Cheol-ik and Lee Jeong-uk, smirked openly for some reason.
"It feels like blatant provocation..."
Shar's voice sank low.
"Is it? But didn't your side provoke us first? I heard you contacted our guild master right away yesterday."
"Isn't it natural to hold someone accountable for their wrongs?"
"Wrongs? Did you just say 'wrongs'?"
Jeon Su-jeong's eyes sharpened too.
Invisible sparks flew where their gazes clashed.
"Thanks to you, I've been in a foul mood since morning. Do we really have to nitpick every little trainee spat like this?"
"I don't understand. You're the one, Instructor Jeon Su-jeong, who told us to contact Imugi directly if we had complaints."
"Ha, so you took that at face value..."
Jeon Su-jeong pinched her forehead, trying to continue.
"This isn't getting through. It's frustrating. Ah, should I just kill you all?"
Murderous glint flashed in Jeon Su-jeong's eyes.
In that instant, Su-hyeok nearly lunged forward.
This wasn't just words.
Jeon Su-jeong had harbored real killing intent moments ago.
Battle-hardened Su-hyeok couldn't miss it.
Of course, Shar sensed it too.
"Instructor Jeon Su-jeong, I know you personally dislike me. But this behavior crosses the line."
"You crossed it first."
"I've never interfered with your training as an instructor."
"That's not the issue! Like you said, I hate you."
"Ah, right."
A unfamiliar sneer curled Shar's lips.
"Seong Mun-hyeok, was it? I think you liked that guy."
"Shut up!"
Jeon Su-jeong bellowed.
Killing aura exploded around her.
'A lovers' quarrel?'
Su-hyeok was dumbfounded.
Causing this much chaos in a training ground for new awakeners, all because of personal feelings? He didn't know Jeon Su-jeong well, but one thing was clear.
'She'd die on the battlefield soon enough.'
So foolish.
Of course, she must have something backing her confidence.
"That Imugi on your back won't protect you forever. Apologize for your attitude and back off. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise? What'll you do? Kill me?"
"I won't kill you, but punishment is due."
"Who do you think you are, talking punishment?!"
The energy swirling around Jeon Su-jeong detonated.
At the same time, a powerful dark aura surged toward the entire Team 8 group.