Chapter 83
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Survival (2)
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Five hours had passed since the start of the survival test. The sun had completely set, and the world was cloaked in the deep black of night.
Ha Siyeon was walking alone through the dark forest.
It really is tough without a sword.
Being empty-handed might have been frightening for some, but not a hint of fear could be seen on Ha Siyeons face.
Oh! A supply box.
Ha Siyeons pupils dilated with joy. In the distance, she had spotted a supply box, which contained items helpful for survival.
She ran toward it with an excited spring in her step.
Hehe.
It would be great if it were a supply box with a weapon. She needed food too, but securing a means to protect herself was the priority.
Her magic wasn't infinite, after all.
Just as Ha Siyeon opened the supply box.
...Its empty?
The supply box was completely bare.
Had someone already taken what was inside?
Tch.
As she pouted in disappointment, it happened.
!
A faint presence, accompanied by the rustling of leaves, came from behind her. It wasnt killing intent, but it was close to hostility.
An ambush!
Ha Siyeon immediately drew upon her magic.
*Clang!*
The sound of ice and steel shattering rang out.
Ice Ha Siyeon!?
The attacker was stunned.
Of all people!
He had seen a silhouette approaching the supply box in the darkness and launched an attack, but to think it would be Ha Siyeon of all people!
Just as Ha Siyeon was about to counterattack, someone else rushed her from the opposite side.
Damn! What bad luck!
The second attacker reached out, aiming for Ha Siyeons brooch.
Be careful! Its Ha Siyeon!
I have eyes!
Ha Siyeon instantly created a chunk of ice to block the fist and performed a backflip.
Simultaneously, she formed a disc-shaped platform of ice in the air and landed on it.
That was a surprise.
Standing there, she clutched her chest. The unexpected ambush had startled her, and her heart was pounding.
The clouds parted, and bright moonlight streamed down. Bathed in the soft glow, Ha Siyeon looked down at her two attackers.
Are you guys Villains?
They were cadets she had never seen before.
...We really drew the short straw.
Damn. Of all people, we had to run into the number two.
The two sighed as they looked at Ha Siyeons face.
It was a sigh filled with regret.
Huh?
Ha Siyeons eyes widened as she scanned the two.
You. The thing you got from here was a sword, wasn't it?
Her gaze was fixed on the training sword held by Attacker A.
And a moment later.
Two more cadets were eliminated.
Watching the two cadets trudge away with their shoulders slumped and brooches destroyed, Ha Siyeon tilted her head.
...So neither of them were Villains?
Whether they were Villains or not, it seemed everyone was hell-bent on plundering.
Ambushes like this were happening simultaneously all over the field.
***
What a mess.
The survival test could only be described as utter chaos.
160 people are already out?
The current time was midnight.
And at midnight, an update on the current situation was broadcast to the terminals issued to all cadets.
It had only been nine hours since the test began.
I hadn't even run into a single person yet, and already a third of the participants were eliminated. I thought a hundred at most would drop out. This was a lot more than expected.
...So everyones just focused on plundering.
This survival test forced competition.
You had to fight to acquire the supplies scattered everywhere.
You had to fight to claim the artifacts.
And you had to fight to steal your opponent's brooch.
On top of that, the existence of Villains was accelerating the conflict.
...They don't get it. This is a game where you can at least pass if you just lie low.
This survival test was a lot like a game of Mafia.
And in games like Mafia, where you have to read the room, the ones who make the most noise are always the first to die.
Are the lower-ranked kids just going all-in, like it's all or nothing?
Or maybe they were just thinking of getting eliminated so they could go back to the dorms and sleep comfortably.
Surviving for six days and five nights with nothing but the clothes on your back was a pretty harsh ordeal.
Even I hadn't expected they wouldn't even give us sleeping bags.
What should I do? The pace is too fast.
The situation was unfolding much faster than I had anticipated.
In a situation like this, staying put would only lead to falling behind.
I have no choice. I'll have to start making moves tomorrow.
To climb to the top ranks, I needed to be proactive.
*Crack, pop.*
The sound of burning firewood was pleasant.
A horned boar I had caught during the day was roasting whole over the fire.
The smell of the sizzling meat whetted my appetite.
Good thing it was a horned boar.
The horned boar was a well-known and convenient monster for consumption.
It was a peculiar creature that could be eaten simply by roasting it whole, skin and all, though its taste was a bit lacking.
...Kang Seoyul?
A mans voice came from behind me. A familiar one.
Choi Jihoon?
It was Choi Jihoon, holding a tree branch.
That branch you're not using it as a sword, are you?
It looked like it would snap with a single tap.
Wouldn't your fists be better?
If I coat it with magic armor, it can serve as a sword.
You can already apply it like that?
I was genuinely surprised.
Hes learning fast.
Did our encounter spur his rapid growth? See, people need to experience defeat.
This fire. A supply item No. Did you make it with your magic?
Choi Jihoon asked, looking at the campfire and the horned boar roasting over it.
You needed supplies to start a fire. Without a lighter or anything else, how could one be made?
Thats right.
Of course, for me, with my fire-attribute magic, it was a non-issue.
On a side note, I hadn't found any supplies.
No, I hadn't even looked.
I just didn't feel the need to.
I see.
Yeah.
In the somewhat awkward silence, the crackling of the campfire sounded particularly loud.
It was that quiet.
*Growl.*
In that silence, the growl from Choi Jihoons stomach echoed even louder.
...Hungry?
...
Choi Jihoon didnt answer.
Seeing how full his backpack was, it seemed his food rations were still untouched.
Aha. You want to save your rations for an emergency?
I won't deny it.
Choi Jihoon answered confidently.
Well, thats a wise choice.
I was saving mine too, after all.
Who knew what might happen? Eating all your food on the first day was what amateurs did.
Well then, want to eat together? There's too much for me to finish anyway.
...
Choi Jihoons eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Aha. You don't want to be indebted to me, is that it?
That's right.
I let out a small laugh.
This guy's competitive spirit was really on par with Jia's.
So, are you going to try and take it by force?
Choi Jihoons eyes flickered to the dagger at my waist, then back to his own branch.
No.
A training dagger versus a tree branch.
It seemed he had concluded that fighting me now was impossible.
Alright. Lets do this, then.
Perfect.
I cant eat all of this by myself anyway, and its not like I can preserve it.
And so?
How about we cooperate? Ill share this roast with you, and we can take turns on watch duty.
In a survival situation, one is most vulnerable while sleeping.
Not a bad proposal.
Right?
But.
A corner of Choi Jihoons mouth twisted into a smirk.
What will you do if I betray you? I could be a Villain.
His eyes were aimed squarely at my brooch.
You're not a Villain, are you?
I looked Choi Jihoon straight in the eyes.
How can you be so sure?
Knowing your personality, you wouldn't act like this if you were a Villain.
If Choi Jihoon were a Villain, given his personality, he would have ambushed me right away.
Well, honestly, it wouldn't matter even if he were a Villain.
Besides, the danger is mutual, isn't it? I could be the Villain. Or we could betray each other even if we aren't.
...I see.
Choi Jihoon squinted as if in thought.
He must have a lot to consider.
There was a risk of betrayal, but
when he considered the advantages of teaming up with me, he wouldn't be able to refuse so easily.
If you're still thinking, why don't you eat first and decide later? The meat's going to burn at this rate.
Fine.
Choi Jihoon nodded as if he couldn't help it.
Judging by the way his Adam's apple bobbed, he couldn't resist the savory aroma of the horned boar.
Then hurry up and sit.
I pointed to a rock across from me.
Alright.
Choi Jihoon walked over with a stoic expression.
As he sat down, he spoke with a reluctant look on his face.
...I don't like it, but I suppose I should thank y
It was at that moment.
ou Ugh!
Choi Jihoon let out a dazed cry and fell backward. The rock he had sat on rolled back, causing him to lose his balance.
And I had deliberately set that rock up that way.
Just in case someone was drawn in by the light and the smell of meat!
A glint shone in my eyes.
Timing is now!
My body moved like lightning, dagger in hand.
I read the path of the wind and swung my dagger.
Choi Jihoon reacted immediately, but in his current, completely unbalanced posture, he couldn't dodge my attack.
!
Choi Jihoon gathered his magic.
He was probably planning to form his magic armor.
But that too was too slow.
*Shing*
With the sound of something being sliced.
*Thud*
The sound of something hitting the ground echoed twice in quick succession.
Y-You!
Choi Jihoon, his magic armor half-formed, stammered with wide eyes from an awkward position, almost on his butt.
Then he looked at the object on the ground: his brooch, sliced in half.
I grinned theatrically.
Surprise! I am a Villain! HAHAHA!
An earthquake erupted in Choi Jihoons pupils.
See you in five days. You can eat those rations you saved when you get back.
I never thought Choi Jihoon would fall for such a clumsy trap.
I did it thinking it would be great if it succeeded, but I was confident I could win in a fight even if it failed.
Thanks for the points Huh?
I checked my score while watching Choi Jihoon grind his teeth.
Four times?
The points came in at four times the normal amount, not two.
Pfft!
Eliminating and plundering a Villains brooch earns you double the points.
And when a Villain eliminates someone, they also get double the points.
But when a Villain eliminates another Villain, the points are quadrupled.
In other words.
What. You were a Villain too?
Choi Jihoon was also a Villain.
No wonder. I thought you were being too trusting. You were planning to backstab me, weren't you?
He had been uncharacteristically compliant for Choi Jihoon.
I was feeling a little bad, but it turns out I didn't need to at all.
I smiled brightly at the teeth-grinding Choi Jihoon.
Anyway, thanks for the points!
Kang Seoyuuuuul!!
I laughed as I listened to Choi Jihoons enraged shout.
***
On the second day of the practical exam.
I began to actively search for supply boxes.
I believed the supply boxes were the key to conquering this survival test.
In the process, I eliminated every cadet I encountered.
Kang Seoyul! Are you really going to do this?!
Sorry. I'm a Villain.
Become my points.
You heartless bastard!
It wasn't as difficult as I thought.
While the other students didn't have any proper equipment, I was decked out in all sorts of training gear, including [Mastery of Arms]. It was only natural that it would be easy.
And so, ten hours passed.
The current time was 4 PM.
This is really easy.
I had successfully eliminated a total of four cadets.
That was three more after Choi Jihoon.
All I had to do was strike the brooch, and using the path of the wind made it incredibly simple. Exploiting openings was my specialty.
As a bonus, I was lucky enough to find a supply box.
All that was inside was a single sleeping bag, but sleeping on the bare ground had been quite an ordeal, and this one was high-quality and plush, so I was quite satisfied.
At this rate, I might even get first place.
I was pretty flustered to become a peculiar existence like a Villain in this unknown test that wasn't mentioned in the original story.
But this was more manageable than I thought.
No, it was a piece of cake.
I couldn't earn survival points.
I couldn't earn points for hunting monsters.
I couldn't earn points for acquiring artifacts.
There were penalties like these, preventing me from gaining points through any means other than plundering.
But the double points from plundering was so overpowered that it made up for all those penalties.
Of course, it would be meaningless without the strength to back it up, but that was a non-issue for me.
The cadets, who lacked not only proper equipment but even support accessories, were no match for me.
Right now, there were at most three people who could beat me.
If I run into them, Ill win.
Who knew not providing equipment would snowball like this.
This was all thanks to the Artisans Instant Smithy.
The fact that Boiling Blood of the Pure promoted fatigue recovery, allowing me to be fine with just two hours of sleep, was also a significant advantage.
The only problem was how difficult it was to find cadets in this vast field.
Id need to eliminate at least fifteen to make it into the top ranks.
What should I do?
I was walking aimlessly when it happened.
Oh?
Fifty meters ahead, I saw a supply box. My second one.
I moved toward it, on high alert for a potential ambush. Fortunately, there were no presences nearby.
Good.
I placed my palm on the supply box. With a mechanical whir, it opened.
Inside, I saw a very small chip and a message.
[Terminal Upgrade Chip.]
[Inserting this into your terminal will activate additional functions.]
...They have these too?
No wonder.
It wouldn't make sense to issue terminals if all they did was announce the number of survivors at midnight every day.
I inspected my terminal from all angles.
There was a slot for a chip. I quickly took the chip from the box and inserted it into the terminal.
A new message appeared on the screen.
[Terminal Function Upgrade List]
[You may choose one of the following.]
[1. Check Villain list.]
[2. Check monster locations.]
[3. Check artifact locations.]
[4. One-time brooch protection.]
...Wow.
Every single one of them was an incredible effect.
It seemed these supply boxes really were the key to the survival test.
Still, checking the Villain list felt a bit burdensome.
This couldn't be the only upgrade chip. That meant there was a high probability someone had already checked the Villain list.
And a one-time brooch protection function, on top of that.
Isn't this too disadvantageous for Villains?
As I was scratching my head, it happened.
Huh?
Suddenly, a new option appeared at the very bottom.
[Villain's Terminal Confirmed.]
[A new function will be added.]
[5. Check cadet locations.]
Aha.
So there was something like this.
Well, this changes things.
What a fine day for some plundering.
Without a moment's hesitation, I selected the fifth function.