novelraw Chapter 115 : Chapter 115
Chapter 115 : Chapter 115
Chapter 115: Midterm Evaluation (2)
Just before the exam started.
The twenty cadets belonging to our group were carefully gauging each other's reactions, each standing slightly apart.
Tension permeated the strange silence.
In such a situation, someone opened his mouth.
It was a male cadet wearing glasses.
He had a neat impression and a fairly confident expression.
"No need to complicate things, can't we just all go together?"
The kids' gazes focused on him all at once.
He continued speaking.
"What happens if you kill a Guardian? They say it comes to kill the target who killed it. Then it's simple. Just go together. Bunch up and take turns dealing with them."
Raising a finger, he continued as if calculating.
"We just need to take turns dealing with the Guardians we encounter while climbing the mountain, and keep going up. Even if we disband after reaching a certain distance, it's a benefit for everyone."
The guy even used hand gestures.
He reminded me of an MC hosting a show in front of a large audience.
"Besides, there's no rule preventing us from forming a team, right? Then there's no problem."
Every time he added a word, the surrounding reaction changed.
Cadets who were puzzled at first gradually nodded their heads.
"Now that I hear it, it sounds okay?"
"That's right. If one person kills it, that Guardian chases only that one person, so when disbanding, you just take one stalker with you."
"Oh."
At the positive reaction, the corners of the glasses-wearing guy's mouth went up.
"Then let's agree to all go together. We just need to climb higher than other groups anyway, right?"
At the moment when the conversation was being led by the glasses guy like that.
Kang Mooseong was quietly watching that scene.
A quick-witted person would have noticed a faint smile brushing past the corner of his mouth.
'Seeing this, it feels a bit harsh.'
Zero's instructors don't tell everything.
After providing a certain amount of information, cadets have to learn by colliding with their own bodies.
Some might say isn't it unfair that all information isn't revealed for an exam, but at least Zero doesn't think so.
Judge freely and respond to the environment.
Also, bear the consequences of that judgment yourself.
It was far from the mother bird style that chewed everything thoroughly and fed it one by one.
"Is there anyone who objects to cooperating all together here?"
When the glasses guy asked, responses followed from here and there.
"There's no reason not to cooperate. It's rational."
"Agreed. The harder it is, the unwritten rule is to stick together, right?"
"No objection!"
Guys nodding and laughing while facing each other.
Hope spread along with the relief of seemingly finding a strategy.
And in that situation, I raised my hand.
"I'll go separately."
The conversation cut off in an instant.
Nineteen gazes turned toward me all at once.
What broke the silence was a scolding tone as if they couldn't understand.
"What's with him?"
"Going alone? Is he an idiot?"
They started whispering one by one.
Amidst the grumbling voices, the glasses guy who had been giving a long speech just before turned his head.
"Why are you saying you'll go separately? I just said it. Forming a team is clearly advantageous. There's no rule blocking cooperation either. Right, Instructor?"
He asked toward Kang Mooseong.
Kang Mooseong was looking down at us as if amused.
"Right, no problem."
He answered with a voice mixed half with playfulness.
"Heroes are beings who originally fight together. Because doing so will allow overcoming even greater threats."
"You heard, right?"
The glasses guy looked at me and smirked.
"The core of this exam is cooperation. Think about it, it's testing that."
Evaluating cooperation.
It made sense.
Because usually people tend to stick together in crisis situations.
It was a rational strategy, and I had to admit it looked like the correct answer.
But that was only a story when judged solely based on the currently given information.
"Anyway, I'll go alone."
"Really?"
At my words, the corner of the glasses guy's mouth twisted.
"Then do as you please. Well, I don't think you'll be of much help anyway."
Did he really have to say something that scratches the nerves? Good grief.
Following that, similar murmurs flowed from the surroundings.
"Acting so damn pretentious."
"There's always a kid like that. A guy who thinks he's something special alone."
"Someone might think he's a son of some prestigious family?"
On one side, snickering sounds were even mixed in.
Can't thoughts be different?
I feel this every time, but do they really have to whisper like that to feel refreshed?
I understand.
If an existence opposing their own judgment appears, doubt arises uselessly.
Because the thought 'Is it perhaps not the answer?' would occur regarding what they thought was unconditionally the answer.
But even so, mocking straight away crossed the line a bit.
Still, there were those who spared their words.
Guys who decided to cooperate but didn't go out of their way to mock me.
If they aspire to be heroes, I think they should at least possess that much character.
'Need to put in some character evaluation. Seriously.'
Of course, I don't know if I, who am thinking this, can pass that character evaluation though.
The start time approached.
Still, there were no dropouts except me.
In the end, it was decided that all nineteen except me alone would move as one team.
It couldn't be anything but tremendous unity.
Finally, 8 o'clock came.
Kang Mooseong checked his watch and raised his head.
"Then, let's start the exam now."
With a short declaration, he disappeared beyond the fog.
Leaving only one last remark.
"In a crisis situation, quitting is also courage. Remember the rescue request button always."
Inside the thick fog, we were left alone without assistants or instructors.
The exam started.
Nineteen people moved simultaneously.
The leader, glasses guy, took the lead, and the rest followed him in a group.
I also climbed the mountain walking beside them.
The lightly lifted foot landed heavily.
***
The glasses guy glared sideways.
He saw the boy following while keeping a slight distance next to the group.
The guy's name was Ryu Jinwoo.
There's always a guy like that.
A guy who muddies the water when the atmosphere is all set.
A type who acts eccentric alone without knowing he's stupid.
Well, a guy like that will eventually pave the floor solidly anyway.
Because outstanding people stand out only when there is an existence that serves as a moderate contrast.
Ryu Jinwoo walked leisurely.
Even though he said he'd go separately, he actually didn't move far from the group.
"Didn't you say you'd go separately?"
Words mixed with scolding came out automatically.
The guy turned only his head slightly without answering.
That single nod scratched his nerves for no reason.
"Why is he following?"
"If you want to go together even now, just say it~"
Ridicule flowed from within the group.
But Ryu Jinwoo seemed determined to ignore it completely.
'Whatever. If he keeps following trying to just suck honey, I can just kick him out myself.'
He turned his gaze forward.
The fog was thick.
It was enough to choke breath with sticky humidity.
It was the worst.
It felt like heat was boiling in the air.
Sweat flowed down his spine.
Someone already opened their canteen and drank water.
"Drink water little by little. Since it's limited."
The glasses guy pointed out.
He was naturally taking the leader position.
"You know you have to give up if resources run out, right?"
Instead of an answer, a light groan flowed.
Heat was buried in every breath.
The glasses guy glanced back.
'Isn't he hot?'
Ryu Jinwoo, that guy was strangely fine.
A calm expression while hardly sweating.
'Forget it. He's a guy who will fall off anyway.'
The glasses guy shook his head.
And it was that moment.
SWISH-!
The sound of cutting through the wind was heard in the fog.
Something fell with a thud from beyond.
'Hmm?'
As he, who stood at the lead, stopped walking, the group stopped all at once.
Before him, a heterogeneous existence was seen.
A creature looking like a tree moving alive.
Damp sap dripped down below the arms on the face with cracked bark.
It was rushing toward this side holding a sharp spear.
"It's a Guardian!"
As someone shouted, tension lingered.
"I'll catch it first for now. The next turn...!"
Before the glasses guy could continue his words, footsteps popped out.
He turned his gaze reflexively.
One person was rushing forward.
It was Ryu Jinwoo.
He pushed the Guardian with his shoulder and hand, then drew his sword in an instant.
SLICE-!
A fluid movement like flowing water.
With a short sound, the Guardian's head flew off.
A wooden block looking like a twisted sculpture of a human face rolled hitting the ground.
"...What?"
A vain voice leaked from the glasses guy's mouth.
The others were also lost for words.
The glasses guy asked Ryu Jinwoo who was shaking off his sword indifferently.
"What are you doing?"
"Can't you tell by looking?"
The voice was calm.
As if asking why bother asking.
"No. I know what you did, but I'm asking why you did it."
The glasses guy frowned.
"It sounds funny to say this, but if we took turns catching it, you could have just sucked honey from the side."
"That would be too conscienceless."
At his words, for a moment, the glasses guy forgot to retort.
Conscience.
That single word lingered strangely in the air.
'...Peculiar guy.'
He was a strange guy.
It was an attitude that felt somehow refreshing though irrational.
Ryu Jinwoo sheathed his sword.
Then he turned his head and scanned the group.
"You, give me the water bottle for a sec."
The guy said extending his hand to one of the group.
An attitude confident enough to be dumbfounding.
'Did he leave it with him?'
Such a thought occurred naturally, but the pointed-out cadet handed over the canteen without a word.
The guy started gulping down holding the canteen.
"Phew- You guys take care of this kid. Give him some water since it's cooperation."
With those words as the end, Ryu Jinwoo turned his body just like that.
Then he started climbing the mountain casually.
The thick fog slowly swallowed his back figure.
"What? Did he just drink all my water? No..."
"Forget it. Let's just go. Consider it the price for taking one Guardian. I'll share my water."
"Isn't he kinda like that? A friend who's lacking but kind."
Laughter mixed from here and there.
The glasses guy looked in that direction for a moment, then turned his head forward.
'Something...'
Strange.
It was clearly just an absurd behavior, but for no reason, a corner of his heart suddenly became uncomfortable.
The feeling of unfamiliar emotion was brief, he tried to shake off the idle thoughts.
"Let's speed up a bit. Still a long way to go."
Along with his words, the group moved their steps pushing through the fog again.
How long did they walk?
The sense of time was faint.
"How much did we climb?"
Someone asked.
The glasses guy checked his watch.
"...35 meters."
"What?"
"Does that make sense?"
"We walked for 30 minutes now! 1 meter per minute? Are you kidding?"
The glasses guy bit his lip.
No mistake, the watch was operating accurately.
'Space distortion.'
The watch's coordinate value doesn't lie.
Time is the same.
30 minutes passed, and they climbed 35 meters.
It was an undeniable fact.
But the body was heavy as if they had climbed hundreds of meters clearly.
But this fog created a demonic realm, and distorted the perceived space.
'At this speed, we can't get to the summit within 24 hours.'
But since they had already formed a group, they couldn't raise the pace as they pleased.
The glasses guy suddenly looked around.
The fog was getting thicker.
Now it was at a level where only about ten steps were visible.
And from some point, the air changed.
The air that was hot and full of humidity until just before became cold at some moment.
"Guys, isn't that snow?"
Someone pointed forward.
Snow piled up softly was welcoming them.
"Snow?"
Nonsensical things were happening one after another.
What on earth is this place.
Just as frustration was bursting.
WHISTLE-
A whistling sound rang from somewhere.
It cast softly riding the wind.
WHISTLE-
The same sound came from another direction.
Like echoing, or resonating.
A chill rose up the glasses guy's spine.
SWISH-!
The fog rippled.
And from within it, myriad forms revealed themselves.
They were Guardians of the Mountain.
Wherever the eyes touched, they were standing.
"W-What! Why are there so many?"
Without time to be surprised.
CLATTER-
Wooden spears aimed at the glasses guy's side simultaneously.
"Ca, calm down! Catch one by one!"
The glasses guy urged calmness with an uncalm tone.
Naturally, that shout was meaningless.
"Aaargh!"
"Damn it, blood...!"
A spear dug into a cadet's shoulder.
Fresh blood scattered over the snow.
"F, Fuck!"
Someone swung a sword and cut off a Guardian's neck cleanly, but the situation didn't improve.
Still many enemies surrounded them, and they knew the decapitated one would return before long.
The glasses guy gasped for breath.
"How did this..."
He looked to the side instinctively.
It was the direction where Ryu Jinwoo disappeared a while ago.
'Surely, did he predict this?'
A heavy presence surged from the front.
SWISH-!
One Guardian thrust a spear toward him.
"Kuek!"
The glasses guy twisted his body and counterattacked.
Metallic sounds and sounds of wood clashing burst consecutively.
Blood and sap mixed together splattered on the snow field.
The group disintegrated in an instant.
Someone pressed the rescue button shedding blood and tears.
Someone crawled up the floor struggling with a collapsed body.
Because if they go even a little higher, they can get a higher score than the guy next to them.
There was only one person who avoided this chaos.
Suck honey Suck honey (Slang for having it easy/benefiting without effort)