Enrollment (4)
"I-I didn't know you were here! If I'd known, I would've just gone somewhere else…."
The girl with light pink hair standing before me. We weren't supposed to cross paths like this. She was supposed to be with the protagonist, so I have no idea why she's here instead.
I'd deliberately altered my route. I'd been extra careful not to run into other cadets. So running into Iri was completely unexpected.
The fact that I hadn't noticed her approaching until she was right on top of me made it even stranger.
But that mystery cleared up the moment I spotted her shoes. The ones she'd taken off were artifacts, processed much like the ones used by Esperand assassins. They left no footprints, aided stealthy movement. They must have muffled her presence and let her sneak up. In the original story, even the protagonist was startled when he first saw her.
"M-my rank is low anyway! You wouldn't earn much even if you caught me!"
"…."
I hesitated for a split second with Iri right in front of me.
The biggest issue was her presence here at all. Iri de Sugamond. The protagonist's reliable ally, who was originally supposed to meet him during this entrance exam.
In the story, the protagonist heals her injury, and they team up from there. She should have been with him right now. This was the moment the original plot began to veer off course.
I'd anticipated it, but not this soon.
"So, please! Just this once! Pretend you didn't see me!"
Iri was begging desperately, hands and feet practically wearing grooves into the ground. But she had no idea. I couldn't shoot her. I had no intention or need to.
"…You hurt?"
Quite the opposite, in fact. Might as well build up some goodwill while I was at it.
I spun the Glock once and holstered it. Then I raised both hands lightly in a gesture of peace.
Only then did Iri relax her guard. Her voice crept in, soft and tentative.
"…You won't hurt me?"
"Not at least for now."
"For now…? So later…?"
"Poor phrasing. Let me correct that."
I reached to help her up, then awkwardly withdrew my hand. Her ankle was swollen red. She couldn't stand on it right now.
"We team up until three are left. Then we settle it fair and square after. Sound good?"
"Not two, but three?"
"Yeah. Three."
Iri tilted her head. From her perspective, it probably sounded odd. The standard play in these scenarios was to ally until the final two.
But this time, it was three. Me, Iri, and the original protagonist. No need for her to stick with him the whole way. She only needed to help at the end, so we'd link up just before then.
Or I could fill in for him.
I crouched down.
"This'll hurt a bit. Bear with it."
"Huh?"
I pulled a bandage from the pouch at my waist. Esperand compression bandage. Infused with painkillers and anti-inflammatories—good enough for most wounds.
The catch? The compression was intense.
"Ngh…!"
"Shh."
I stuffed a handkerchief in her mouth the instant her lips parted, stifling the scream. Then I wrapped the bandage around once.
It clung perfectly to her ankle. The bracelet absorbed major impacts, but not minor sprains like this—the bracelet didn't register them. Some cadets exploited that loophole, and it looked like Iri had fallen victim.
"Mm… mm-mm…!"
Iri nodded around the cloth, signaling it was okay. I removed it, and she exhaled sharply.
"Whoa!"
She stared at the bandage in wonder.
"…My ankle doesn't hurt."
"Special-made bandage."
"Something like that exists? I've never seen one."
"It does, but it's pricey. That'll hold you for a while. Put it on my tab."
"Uh…."
"Kidding."
It'd last through the exam at least. Still, she should get a proper checkup after.
"Team up until three are left, right?"
"Three. Yeah."
Iri stood shakily. No need to help her up.
"I accept your alliance. Until three are left."
I nodded instead of answering. As I turned to go, she pouted.
"So, once three are left…."
"Then… well…."
"…."
"We'll see when we get there. We're allies now, aren't we?"
Anxiety lingered in Iri's eyes, but still.
"R-right?"
She nodded with an awkward smile. Innocent and kind face.
….
After that, we sniped cadets we ran into. Not always fair fights, of course.
"Rock! Behind the rock! Take the sword guy first!"
"Huh, nothing here? Gah?!"
"That bastard!"
Sometimes, we let them fish in troubled waters.
"I've got three bracelets. You?"
"Two. So next, that way. Spotted three down there earlier."
"Hey, something flying at us? What the—"
"Crazy, duck!"
Boom!
Other times, one-shot wipes.
The survivors, Iri handled. We split the points nicely.
The exam was entering its mid-to-late stages. Even the ones getting sniped had caught on to me. Unexpectedly, an alliance formed against the invisible sniper.
"Listen up. We take that guy first."
"Can we? Everyone just hears shots."
"We can. Eight of us."
"Yeah, but looks like a marksman. Unless it's an assault rifle, eight won't cut it."
…But their numbers were bigger than expected.
Iri whispered in my ear.
'Shion, this okay?'
'No, looks risky.'
'Shouldn't we just go around?'
'Can't. Movement'll give us away. Stay put.'
Ghillie suits on, we prone along the roadside. Eight cadets marched past in a group.
'We don't need to fight them.'
'Huh?'
'It's a solo event. Only one winner at the end.'
'No way…?'
Solo battle. One final victor. Meaning….
"Hold up! What's this?!"
"Bomb?"
"Looks like one, but it hasn't gone off."
I'd just tossed a smoke grenade.
What followed was pure pandemonium.
Slash!
"You bastard! What the hell?! Aaaagh!"
"We're a team! Allies till we get him!"
"Fuck this! Everyone, pile on!"
Thick white fog spread, thick with betrayal and greed. An unseen sniper somewhere. But right in front of them? Juicy cadet backs.
And the tension where anyone could strike first. Perfect.
Human patience was so fragile.
"Eugh…."
Iri grimaced in disgust, but to win, no choice. 8v2 was suicide; this was optimal.
No entering the smoke, though. I pulled Iri back and lobbed a triple-concentration flashbang instead.
Kaboom!
Sion Illeionhart: 2 points gained
Sion Illeionhart: 1 point gained
Sion Illeionhart: ….
My watch kept buzzing nonstop. Five kill notifications in total. Nice haul.
***
Daybreak Mountain, where the entrance exam unfolded. Divided into 64 zones, its size rivaled all of Seoul.
Some areas housed magic beasts—in plains or scattered caves. Hide in a cave thinking you'd last? You'd end up beast chow. The bracelet would recall you at fang's touch, of course.
"Where we headed, Shion?"
"Wouldn't know even if I told you. Just follow carefully."
"Still…."
"Around the back of the mountain. Map shows it."
Iri tilted her head but followed. She'd asked where, but… she'd never get it anyway.
Off to snag a hidden piece? Yeah, right.
"Here. This is what I was after."
"…This tree?"
A massive apple tree loomed before us. Two grown men stretching arms wide could barely encircle its trunk. This was why I'd brought Iri.
Normally, I'd have to climb it myself. But now I had her—Iri de Sugamond, three times stronger than me.
Before starting, I scanned the tree closely. Faint traces of someone who'd climbed. Telescopic Vision picked up smudged handprints. Someone's fingerprints.
…Already been and gone.
The protagonist had hit this spot already. Tracing the original path, and I was a step behind.
All the more fortunate. He was following the script. One less worry.
Tutorial-level exam, so hidden pieces were straightforward. He'd snag the others on this mountain too.
I'd trail him and grab the leftovers.
"We're felling this tree now."
"This one? How?"
"Sword. You can do it."
"Uh, yeah…."
Sudden request, but she summoned her weapon. A ornate sword appeared in her grip.
"Just chop it down?"
"I'll handle any company. You focus on the tree."
"Got it."
Iri swung at the trunk. Barbaric idea—sword on tree—but doable. Her blade wouldn't dull on mere wood.
Pistol couldn't drop it. Hence, her.
Felling it prevented others snagging it first. No headaches if a villain got it.
"Hah…."
"Eyes on the cut."
"Yes."
I wiped her sweat for her. The base whittled like an apple being peeled—more like sculpted, really.
"…Tough."
Dozens more strikes later.
Crack—
Screee—
The tree finally tilted.
"Watch out! Falling that way!"
"On it."
The low villa-height giant tipping was impressive—and a bit eerie given the size.
Crash!
Whoosh! Chirp chirp!
Wind whipped the area as it fell. Birds scattered in panic. Others would come running soon.
I dug through the fallen mass. Ripe apples smashed from impact.
Not why I'd dropped it, though Iri fretted incoming foes.
"…Found it."
"…!"
Golden gleam amid dense leaves. Thorny vines cloaking it protectively. I sliced them with my dagger and pulled it out.