RE: Player again

284

[Chapter 093] [Training]

The short one-week break ended.

Students who returned to the academy ultimately had to face final exams.

Especially 1st year middle school academy students had to take a test to kill monsters separate from final exams.

Some said it wasn't quite timely to make students who were kidn*pped kill monsters.

Nevertheless, most instructors agreed to hold the test.

This was because from 2nd year middle school academy, there were many classes including practical training.

So students needed to know how to kill monsters before classes.

Because they couldn't move forward otherwise.

"So you and Mok Min-ho are exempted from the test?" "No, captain. We're not exempted, we already passed the test!"

"Lucky bastards..."

Meanwhile, there were students exempted from the test.

Eun-ha couldn't hide his envy from Eun-hyeok and Min-ho who were excited saying they didn't have to take the test.

Apparently the two showed instructors they could take down monsters that appeared in the Slayers' village and were exempted from the test.

Hearing that, Eun-ha blamed himself saying he acted secretly for nothing.

Since it's just killing monsters, I don't need to prepare for the test but...

Still, it's troublesome...

The test to kill monsters was conducted during the final exam period.

Students could take the test at the training hall whenever they had free time.

Eun-ha planned to take the test using free time in between.

He who sent off Eun-hyeok and Min-ho found friends studying at the cafe.

Looking for someone to take the test together.

"Really? Then want to go with me? I was planning to take it today or tomorrow too."

Just then, Cha Eun-woo who was chatting with Ha-yang raised her hand.

Eun-ha inwardly rejoiced.

Though Eun-woo had been hanging out with friends more lately, he didn't feel like he had definitely recruited her.

Because she also belonged to Choi Ga-in's faction.

The same went for Mok Min-ho.

"Then let's get up after finishing coffee."

"Okay, wait, actually I'm not good with hot drinks..."

"It's okay. Drink slowly." "...Ah!"

"Didn't I say drink slowly?"

"I was drinking slowly... If it was going to be like this I should have ordered an iced cafe latte."

Eun-woo who was drinking hot cafe latte seemed to have burned her tongue.

She who frowned stuck out her tongue.

Perhaps because she was wearing a scarf since it was winter, the bright red choker she usually wore on her neck wasn't visible.

That appearance looked cute, suiting her age.

She didn't look melancholy either.

"...Hm, whose message is this?"

But that was only for a moment.

The smartphone placed on the table vibrated.

Eun-woo who confirmed a Pine Talk message arrived curved her downturned eye corners even more and gently lifted the corners of her mouth.

As if forcing a smile.

"Eun-ha, I'm sorry but..."

Then she opened her mouth.

"Can one more person come along? I just got a message asking to go together..."

"...I'm fine with it. Who is it?"

At that moment Eun-ha sensed it.

It had been nearly a year since he got to know Cha Eun-woo.

He knew when she became mindful of others.

"...From Ga-in. Is it really okay?"

"...Come if she wants to..."

""""......"""""

Crack

Eun-ha inevitably decided to put up with the cancer lump called Choi Ga-in.

When he tried to answer Eun-woo who was apologetic, the sound of pencil lead breaking rang out.

A sound loud enough to interrupt the conversation.

Only when he turned his head like a machine did Eun-ha realize it wasn't the sound of pencil lead breaking but a pen breaking.

"Ha-Ha-yang! You got ink on your hand!" "Huh? I did? Sorry, I must have unconsciously applied too much strength."

Just how much strength did she apply for a pen to break making a sound loud enough for friends to raise their heads?

Eun-ha clicked his tongue watching her clean her hand with wet wipes Seo-na handed over.

"I'll go take the test now too."

"Ha-yang, you have class next."

Seo-na gently admonished her.

Ha-yang puffed her cheeks.

Her internal mana is disturbed.

There's no need to worry that much...

Eun-ha knew what she was worried about.

Probably because she thought Choi Ga-in might try to recruit him.

Because the time he was under Han Seo-hyun's protection was gradually coming to an end.

Nevertheless, Eun-ha had no intention of receiving Choi Ga-in's protection.

In the end, all she would be able to do is flirt.

"If anything happens, Eun-woo will help well. Right?"

"...Yeah, I'll try to block well. I'm sorry."

Cha Eun-woo apologizing as if sorry.

She who now understood he didn't like Choi Ga-in apologized while lowering her head.

It was excessive apology.

This was the problem with Cha Eun-woo.

That she acts like she committed a sin for no reason.

Eun-ha who sighed quietly decided to get her up from her seat for now.

"...You have to tell me if anything happens, okay?"

"I got it. Let's go."

"Okay."

"I'll go too."

That's when it happened.

Su-bin who was looking at the scenery outside also got up saying she would take the test together.

Only then did Ha-yang seem relieved.

Looks like Seo-na tipped her off.

Bae Su-bin who only had one friend in her previous life was oblivious. Moreover, she even aimed for her own way.

There was no way such a person would have been considerate of the situation she was in.

Eun-ha glanced at Seo-na gently.

A faint current was flowing between her fox ears.

Surely Seo-na must have advised her.

"But come to think of it, doesn't the timing seem really exquisite?" "Huh? What?"

"What do you mean what. Just when we're trying to take the test, Choi Ga-in said she would take the test."

"...You're right?"

Eun-ha spoke to Eun-woo while leaving the cafe.

He had somewhat noticed the reason Eun-woo and Min-ho were staying close to them lately.

There must have been Choi Ga-in's orders besides becoming close to them.

To monitor him up close.

I welcome it.

Eun-ha inwardly thanked Choi Ga-in's dullness.

Because thanks to her, he was able to get closer to the two.

She must have thought the two were following him firmly.

That's why she sent them to his side.

Without thinking he would recruit the two.

Just watch.

Someday I'll make Mok Min-ho and Cha Eun-woo my people.

The two's parents held president positions in Galaxy Group's affiliates.

So it was natural for loyalty to Galaxy Group to be strongly formed in their hearts.

So he needed to take sufficient time to draw them in.

If Choi Ga-in created such opportunities, it would save him the trouble.

"Is someone monitoring us?"

"No way..."

He would chip away at their loyalty over time.

Like this.

Eun-ha spoke putting strength in his words subtly while passing it off as a joke.

Cha Eun-woo waved her hands.

She didn't seem to believe it.

Because she would have heard from Choi Ga-in to monitor him.

So she wouldn't believe another monitor was monitoring her and himself.

Will she really not believe?

But human hearts are weak.

There was no law saying there was only one monitor.

She wasn't the only one carrying out Choi Ga-in's orders.

If she monitored him up close, someone else could be monitoring her and him from afar.

Though there was no evidence.

Still, she wouldn't be able to completely ignore even a tiny doubt.

Doubt is not easily erased.

If even a little doubt is harbored, doubt will grow like a snowball.

The seed of doubt will burrow into the weakest part of a person's heart, and someday bloom into a flower.

"Maybe it's really true. Don't you think Choi Ga-in's timing for sending messages has been amazing lately?"

"...Yeah, you're right."

Eun-ha looked forward to that time.

When the doubt planted in Eun-woo and Min-ho's hearts would bloom fully.

Would the two be able to kneel to Galaxy Group even then?

No, they can't.

How can you swear loyalty to people who don't trust you?

From now on, he would continue to induce the two to doubt Choi Ga-in over trivial matters.

If Choi Ga-in had the disposition to understand subordinates' hearts, what he hoped for wouldn't happen.

But she didn't have the qualities of a wise ruler.

Someday Choi Ga-in would regret it. Seeing the two people she trusted and sent ultimately enter under him.

He looked forward to the face she would make.

Eun-ha, anticipating that time─

"─Come to think of it, when kids were kidn*pped on Seoraksan, Choi Ga-in said. To think about the kidn*pped kids later, and they should come down the mountain first."

"......"

─Spread seeds of doubt.

☆

The test to kill monsters prohibited test takers from killing monsters with magic.

In this test, magic was merely an auxiliary means.

The academy wanted students to be able to kill monsters directly with their hands.

Because that was truly the act of killing life, and directly facing the monster's disappearance.

"The pass rate so far is 98%..."

The test was conducted one by one.

The instructor who was briefly freed from successive tests muttered while reading materials sent from the monitoring room.

The third day of final exams.

The pass rate so far was 98%.

Students who had lived at the academy for a year now no longer felt resistance to killing monsters.

So this was a test in name only, but in reality it was like a rite of passage.

[Instructor, we will start the test again.]

"...Understood."

The instructor sighed faintly hearing the voice flowing from the ceiling speaker.

He who finished stretching watched the student entering from outside the door.

"Hello. 1st year Class 8 Number 22 Bae Su-bin."

"...Mm, yes. It's been a while."

1st year Class 8 Bae Su-bin.

The instructor nodded heavily.

Because he knew Bae Su-bin was the beloved disciple of the Class 8 instructor in charge who passed away recently.

The instructor recalled the memory of the Class 8 instructor in charge saying at a drinking party that she would surely become an excellent Player someday.

"Then I'll start the test right away."

"Yes, please take care of me."

At the same time, the instructor also knew Bae Su-bin had struggled facing the 8th tier monster Iron Man in the 1st semester.

So the instructor chose a mana stone used for promising students among the prepared mana stones.

A test to check if students can kill monsters or not.

So students had to face 9th tier monsters with debuffs, while those classified as promising faced 8th tier monsters.

Kiiii?

The monster the instructor threw to her was Iron Man, difficult to face even among 8th tier.

Iron Man had a human form and boasted defense that most attacks couldn't penetrate.

Though Iron Man received a debuff, still one couldn't let their guard down.

Moreover, Bae Su-bin had lost to Iron Man before.

Let's see how well she does.

The instructor decided to watch how calmly and effectively Bae Su-bin would kill Iron Man.

Would she lose again to an opponent she lost to once?

Or would she take revenge?

"......"

But the instructor had to put away his evaluating gaze as if he never had it.

Because she emitted killing intent enough to give even the instructor goosebumps.

It was unbelievable.

For a child only 14 years old to harbor this much murderous intent.

"I wanted to kill one just now..."

Bae Su-bin didn't move.

With Iron Man leaping high in front of her, she just watched that scene as if it was someone else's business.

Then, grotesque blades stretching out from behind her.

The blades made of mana wriggled like spider legs then stabbed the creature flying in.

Did she smile?

The instructor didn't miss Bae Su-bin looking up at Iron Man who became a skewer suspended in midair.

She was smiling.

Cheerfully, with her shoulders shaking.

Whish

When she moved her hand randomly, the mana blades piercing Iron Man reacted.

Iron Man who was thrown to the ground tried to flail his limbs to somehow get up.

Thud

Bae Su-bin stomped on Iron Man's abdomen just as he was about to get up.

Soon she straddled Iron Man and raised the knife given for the test.

"It's tough like Eun-ha said? Well─"

─Whatever.

The instructor somehow felt like he could hear the words she trailed off at the end.

Anyway, she who grinned once looking down at Iron Man struck Iron Man with the knife several times.

Only the sound of hitting scrap metal rang out.

The instructor could only watch her falling into ecstasy with each knife strike, overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

"...Instructor, I'm done?"

"Oh oh... yes, well done."

The instructor lost his mind midway.

When he came to his senses, she who had shown a demonic smile to the monster had a face no different from usual.

What on earth happened?

The instructor missed the deceased Class 8 instructor in charge.

Just how did you educate her for her to have such an eerie atmosphere, he wanted to ask.

The instructor sent Bae Su-bin out of the training hall with a sour face.

Unfortunately, there wasn't even time to drink water.

Because the next test taker entered.

"1st year Class 6 Noh Eun-ha."

"...Yes, welcome Eun-ha."

The boy known as one of a kind among this year's 031st class.

There was no way the instructor wouldn't know him.

He would be a spy if he didn't know.

His father was a powerful figure serving as general secretary of Sirius Group, and his sister Noh Eun-a was a rising star the Player Academy had high hopes for. Moreover, Eun-a was also connected to Park Hye-rim and Shin Seo-young.

Come to think of it, I think there was a rumor Noh Eun-ha received a proposal...

Then the instructor recalled a rumor he heard recently.

It was during the culture festival.

From that point, a rumor spread that Twelve Seats Kang Hyeon-cheol proposed to Noh Eun-ha.

It was nonsense.

Though Eun-ha's skills might receive a proposal from , he wouldn't reject the proposal unless he was crazy.

Academy officials who hadn't directly seen the scene all unanimously dismissed it saying there was no way.

At that time, Eun-ha himself also said "I don't know such a person."

"This is a chance to check what your skills are like, Eun-ha."

"Is that so?"

The instructor welcomed the skilled person.

Probably Eun-ha would grow into a Player with influence comparable to the Twelve Seats in the Player industry.

So the instructor spoke to Eun-ha in a friendly manner.

On the other hand, Eun-ha only showed an indifferent reaction hearing he would check his skills.

Still a kid after all.

His mana control ability should be good but facing monsters is different.

Let's see how quickly he kills the monster.

The instructor picked up the highest quality 8th tier mana stone among the prepared ones.

8th tier Little Flame Devil.

The instructor imbued mana into the mana stone to summon a monster more difficult to face than Iron Man.

"...What!?"

But a problem occurred.

The mana stone thrown on the floor not only absorbed the instructor's mana but also started absorbing mana floating around.

Since tests had been conducted for days, there was bound to be a lot of mana floating around.

It was strange distortions hadn't occurred until now.

I have to stop it!

The instructor hurriedly composed his internal mana to offset the distortion.

But the distortion that rapidly swelled up gave birth to a monster before the instructor's hand could reach it.

The monster born from the distortion looked at him with gleaming eyes.

The instructor swallowed.

Hehehe

7th tier overrank monster.

The instructor belatedly regretted not eliminating the mana lingering in the space.

A monster comparable to 6th tier wasn't something easily dealt with.

Though he could face it alone, at least one more person was needed to safely deal with it.

But it was too late to call another instructor now.

The instructor had no choice but to face the monster while protecting Eun-ha.

He decided to face it but─

"─Is it okay if it's not 8th tier?"

"...What? Eun-ha, wha...huh...uh...?"

Even giving a hundred concessions.

Even if the 7th tier overrank monster had its back turned watching him.

Even if the weapon Eun-ha held was his personal device not the device given at the test site.

How could he split a 7th tier overrank monster in half with one strike?

The instructor was at a loss for words watching the bisected corpse vanish as it poured down on him.

Meanwhile, the boy only 14 years old this year was sheathing his sword as if it was no big deal.

"Can I go now?"

"...Oh, yes..."

Noh Eun-ha turning his back without any lingering attachment.

The instructor was just dumbfounded.

Lamenting that he wouldn't be an instructor at the academy if he had such skills.

"No, no matter what that's..."

A 1st year middle school academy student singlehandedly annihilated a 7th tier overrank monster with one strike.

Though tier doesn't substitute for strength, one couldn't ignore tier either.

Yet Eun-ha did it.

Without a scratch.

"Even heaven is too much."

Heaven collapsed once long ago.

The instructor who belatedly recalled that just sighed.