Chapter 42
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: CDT (3)
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Hong Ga-yeon grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.
My legs were trembling, but I managed to stand, leaning on her for support.
Ga-yeon turned to Smith and said,
"Smith. Use your skill."
"...Yeees... sure..."
Smith pouted, clearly reluctant.
He approached me and placed his hand on my chest.
"Time Leap."
As Smith released his mana, bubbles began enveloping my body from his hand.
"What is this...??"
"It won't hurt. Just stay still."
Smith reassured me, then expanded the soap bubble even larger.
Soon, the bubble surrounding my body lingered for a moment before vanishing.
Afterward, the fatigue in my body disappeared like magic.
"I rolled your body back to its state from yesterday. You should be able to move now."
Smith explained while picking his nose.
He was right.
My body felt light as if nothing had happened.
Smith grumbled,
"Normally, I never use this skill on anyone but the young lady. But I did it this time because she ordered me to. Anyway, tomorrow you'll take double the damage you got today. Don't get too cocky."
So the Cyclops from earlier had just respawned elsewhere—it wasn't truly defeated.
I wiggled my fingers.
With this, I could finish the rest of the exam without issue.
I looked at Smith and said,
"...Thanks."
"Save your thanks for the young lady."
Smith slinked over to Hong Ga-yeon.
She said,
"Sorry. This is all I can do for you right now."
"No, it's more than enough. Actually, it's perfect. Thank you."
I flashed her a grin.
Since City Defense was a one-day training exercise, I could just rest thoroughly tomorrow.
Man, that 'personality' of Smith's was an enviable skill.
But skills like that surely came with penalties for the caster too.
William, who had been watching me, slowly approached Ga-yeon.
"Ga-yeon. You're safe. Are you alright?"
He asked kindly again, but Hong Ga-yeon ignored him completely.
Undeterred, William kept pressing.
"I was so worried. No injuries? Did you cut off that Cyclops's arm? Incredible!"
But Ga-yeon thoroughly ignored him.
William scratched the back of his head, visibly annoyed.
"Hey, Ga-yeon."
"I saw everything."
Hong Ga-yeon finally turned and looked at William.
Her face showed no emotion.
"How could you ignore a child like that?"
"Ah... Ga-yeon. It's just—"
"It's not 'just' anything."
Hong Ga-yeon was firm.
Her resolute response made William's expression turn serious.
"...Ga-yeon. This is just training. I couldn't sacrifice myself for a hologram child. Of course, if this were real combat, I'd gladly give my life for that kid."
William answered confidently.
Hong Ga-yeon let out a short sigh and said,
"...William. Even if it's a hologram, you can't go against your sense of duty. That's what this training is for. Take it seriously."
William looked a bit flustered by Ga-yeon's blunt critique.
He couldn't find words to respond.
I didn't know much about Hong Ga-yeon or William, but this time, Ga-yeon was right a hundred—no, a thousand—times over.
The academy's training wasn't just any drill.
It wasn't a mere 'exam' to rack up points.
Sense of duty.
That single phrase encompassed everything.
A hunter's stance when facing an unbeatable monster.
The righteousness to save civilians knowing it meant your death.
This training was solely to test that.
...Unable to continue, William gave a wry smile.
He spoke softly.
"I see. I've learned another life lesson from you today, Ga-yeon. It's surprising... and worthy of respect. But I value a hunter's worth more than one citizen's life. Is saving one girl at the cost of your life more valuable than the hundred people I could save afterward? When you become a hunter, please cherish your own life. You're nobler than anyone."
He bowed his head slightly.
"...Someday, I hope you understand my feelings."
"..."
Hong Ga-yeon didn't bother responding.
She simply accepted his bow with a silent nod.
"Well then. I'll be going... Tae-hyun? Let's meet again. I'll remember your face and name."
He smiled brightly, but for some reason, chills ran down my spine.
...I never wanted to encounter someone like him at school or on the battlefield.
With that, William walked away with his attendants.
I just watched him go in silence.
"..."
William entered a secluded alley with his attendants.
"Kikik?!!! Humans!!"
"Kreak! Poor humans! Coming in here!!"
A pack of goblins in the alley.
They charged at William.
Slashslashslash!
...He slaughtered every visible monster in a single stroke.
Not satisfied with one cut, he slashed two, three times, completely dismembering them.
Then he trampled the chunks, crushing them utterly.
"Haa... haa..."
William panted heavily.
It wasn't physical exhaustion.
Emotional control.
The agony of reaching the limit of one's emotional restraint.
His breathing ragged, saliva dripping, eyes bloodshot as blood boiled in his head.
"Ugh... ugh...!!! Uwaaa!!!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
William slammed his head against the alley wall.
One attendant tried to stop him.
"Your Highness, are you alright...?"
"......Alright?"
Drip... drip...
Blood dripped from William's forehead as he turned to the attendant.
The young butler swallowed hard, tense.
"...Your... Highness?"
"Uwaaaaa!!!"
Crash-.
William knocked the young butler down and stomped on him.
"You ask if I'm! Alright!! You little!! Worm!! Are you!! Pitying me!! A mere butler dares!! Huh!! Huh!! Huh!!?!"
No one intervened as the young butler became a bloody mess.
William kept stomping until he passed out.
"..."
William had disappeared into the alley.
The training continued, and it was time for me to get back to it.
"Hey."
Hong Ga-yeon turned to me at my call.
...She really had captivating looks.
I glanced at my arm and said,
"You can let go now."
"...?!"
Hong Ga-yeon startled and released her grip.
She'd been clutching my clothes since pulling me up.
Smith shook his head at the sight and approached Ga-yeon.
"Young lady. We should go now. Training isn't over yet."
"...Yeah. You're right."
Ga-yeon followed Smith out into the street but glanced back.
She gave a small nod in greeting.
I nodded back.
'What an intriguing woman...'
She didn't talk much and seemed introverted, but her skills were top-notch.
In my past life, I'd watched her subjugation videos over and over.
I'd secretly practiced her swordsmanship in my tiny room countless times to mimic her.
Hong Ga-yeon was famous as a hunter merciless to monsters.
She was called a rose with thorns.
The reason? Nearly all her expedition teammates had died on the battlefield.
She was always the sole survivor emerging from the dungeon.
Thus, she walked the lonely path of a hunter alone.
'...Hmm.'
That was far in the future.
Not something I needed to worry about now.
"Tae-hyun!"
Ah-young came running from the opposite alley.
Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth upon seeing me.
"...Why are you still alive?"
"You say it like I shouldn't be."
"No, no. I'm just surprised."
She giggled, stood, and said it was a relief.
I lightly patted her back.
"Training isn't over yet. Let's start hunting again."
"Y... yeah!"
Ah-young clenched her fists, full of fighting spirit.
Hour 6 of CDT training.
Many hunters had fallen, but this defense operation was the best in history.
Despite the city invasion, civilian deaths hadn't exceeded 200.
Mitsuda and Olivia, executing the operation, swept through with extermination battles, successfully concluding the defense.
"Haa... haaa... Mitsuda... I'm... so tired... ugh..."
"This is really the last one! Olivia. Just four left."
Mitsuda encouraged Olivia.
Olivia's skill 'Fly' let the target fly for a while, but it consumed massive mana.
Even as a trained priestess, it was tough.
"You've said 'last' already... five times... I... really can't..."
"Olivia, I'm jumping now? No Fly, and I'm out."
Mitsuda vaulted the railing without looking back.
Olivia squeezed her eyes shut.
"Hnnng...!!!"
Olivia desperately cast the skill.
Bang! Bang!
"...500m ahead left. One."
"Got it."
Irina drew her bowstring.
Hitting a target 500m away with a bow was extremely difficult.
But she didn't flinch.
Swoosh-! Thunk!
A gargoyle flying was pierced through the neck by the arrow and plummeted.
Lee Jae-yeol was genuinely shocked, eyes wide.
"...Impressive. Distance aside, right through the neck..."
"...Whoa, awesome!!!"
Irina clapped in amazement.
Lee Jae-yeol gave her an incredulous look.
She cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Ahem... well, that's basic."
"..."
Lee Jae-yeol looked at her with pity.
"Ah-young, back me up."
"On it."
Roar-!
The goblins charging at Kang Tae-hyun from behind were incinerated by Ah-young's 'Hell Fire'.
The goblins burned miserably.
Tae-hyun and Ah-young synced like a single fighter.
Tae-hyun: weak magic, overwhelming physical skills.
Ah-young: weak physical, overwhelming magic.
Their combo fit like N and S poles of a magnet.
Slash, slash!
Tae-hyun cut down three kobolds lunging at Ah-young.
Now they covered each other without words.
Kang Tae-hyun Current Score: 358
Yoon Ah-young Current Score: 342
Their training scores far outstripped other elites.
Nearby cadets subjugating monsters couldn't hide their awe at their teamwork.
"...Isn't that Kang Tae-hyun?"
"The show-off? But he's fighting like a beast."
"Whoa, check Yoon Ah-young's skill sense."
They moved with the tight bond of comrades who'd fought together for years.
"Yoon Ah-young. Stamina improved? You look fresh."
"...Don't even. I'm soaked in sweat. Legs shaking... I'll collapse the second we get back."
Back-to-back, they scanned their surroundings.
Monster corpses littered around them haphazardly.
Once civilians evacuated, full extermination began.
Extermination was a hunter's specialty.
They flawlessly completed it.
CDT training neared its end.
Monsters on streets were scarce; blue victory flares launched sporadically.
Tae-hyun pulled a signal flare and fired it skyward.
A blue flare streaked across their sky too.
Blue meant no monsters left in the area.
Seoul sky.
Shoooo-.
A massive operation transport sprayed white smoke across the heavens.
Command's victory signal.
The operation succeeded.
Cadets completed training successfully.
"Hua...!"
Ah-young's legs finally gave out, and she plopped down.
She caught her breath.
"Good job... Tae-hyun... So tough... Even worse than Rio."
"...Definitely harder than Rio. But you did great."
Tae-hyun placed a hand on slumped Ah-young's head.
Ah-young looked up at him blankly.
Then she smirked and said,
"...Vacation now, right?"
"Yep. Can't wait."
"Oh...? You actually look forward to vacation?"
Ah-young teased playfully; Tae-hyun replied matter-of-factly.
"Of course. No interruptions for training. No classes. No dormmates. Perfect."
Disappointed by his answer, Ah-young shook her head.
"Figures... Sigh..."
Ah-young stood to survey the area now that training ended.
She walked through the ruined cityscape.
Out of Tae-hyun's sight, she secretly pressed a hand to her heart.
Thump... thump...
Her heart raced wildly.
Facing an unfamiliar emotion, Ah-young panicked.
'...What's this?'
She wondered why her heart pounded like mad at everything Tae-hyun did.
Why she hadn't rushed out when he was with Hong Ga-yeon.
Why she'd gone straight to him the moment Ga-yeon left.
'...Ugh. No idea.'
Having lived her whole life in the Yoon family home, such feelings were foreign.
Ah-young tightened her combat vest to hide her pounding heart.
...She walked a bit, then turned when Tae-hyun didn't follow.
"Tae-hyun, why aren't you... com...?"
Her pupils dilated instantly.
Frozen, she stared at where he'd been.
A dome of black barrier stood there.
Up close, it was formed by hundreds of crows.
"...Tae-hyun? ...Tae-hyun!!!"
No response to Ah-young's scream.
Tae-hyun was gone; only a strange man perched atop the barrier, leering sinisterly at her.
"Oh... You're totally my type too. Go on a date with me, and I might spare you."
A black mask and massive crow wings.
It was Kirius.
(To be continued)