RE: Player again

357

[Chapter 107] [Hell is Always Near]

There were several large and small islands in Ongjin County, Incheon Metropolitan City.

Later, monsters came to inhabit Ongjin County where people no longer lived.

The reason this situation didn't change even after the Seonnyeo government was established was because the West Coast had less mana content compared to the East Coast, and the monsters appearing were relatively weak.

As a result, the Seonnyeo government decided to make the West Coast a training ground for players.

To this end, the academy was able to receive the Deokjeok-myeon area of Ongjin County through negotiations with the government.

And the academy decided to use the Deokjeok-myeon area as the location for the comprehensive ability evaluation.

"Then lunch will be eaten on your own after starting the final evaluation!"

Yeongan Port, Ongjin County, Incheon Metropolitan City.

The instructor shouted loudly towards students gathered at the port.

Students seemed quite tense due to the accident in Hoengseong-gun last semester.

It couldn't be helped.

The final evaluation conducted at the end of 2nd year had to be resolved solely by students' strength, unlike previously conducted evaluations.

"I'll explain the comprehensive ability evaluation once more! The evaluation will be conducted for 5 days in the Deokjeok-myeon area!"

Behind the instructor wearing sunglasses, instructors in charge of student parties were preparing boats.

Also, players hired by the academy were standing around.

The number of players and instructors was not as many compared to last semester.

Because almost half of the 300 assigned 2nd year middle school academy students were no longer attending.

"Instructors in charge of each party will put you on boats and drop you off randomly somewhere in Deokjeok-myeon.

The evaluation starts from then. You must face monsters in the Deokjeok-myeon area for 5 days and reach Bijobong. There should be five flags stuck somewhere on Bijobong, and parties that have flags by the last day will be awarded points that can be used in high school academy. Obtaining duplicate flags is prohibited. Also, individual scores will be given according to mana stones you obtain from monsters during that time. This can also be converted to points usable in high school academy. Stealing mana stones from each other is also prohibited!"

A party survival unfolding on Deokjeok Island, Deokjeok-myeon for 5 days.

The instructor said to use the flare gun distributed in advance to signal their location if they want to give up midway.

After that, the evaluation will continue with party members who didn't use flare guns.

Along with saying instructors and players in charge of parties won't interfere with students' actions unless absolutely necessary.

"All students participating in the evaluation will receive rations that can be eaten sufficiently for two days. If you save, it could be enough for 5 days. You must be self-sufficient with food. Basic cooking utensils will also be provided, so come receive them one by one from each party later."

""""...."""

Students examined the rations they just received.

They all had dark faces.

The water would quickly run out considering boiling and washing, and there were only a few cup noodles and calorie bars.

Moreover, the rations they received to eat for lunch were combat rations.

"I hope you eat the combat rations by today without fail! The expiration date is today."

""""...."""

"Well, we're not that devilish. From the third day morning, helicopters will fly around the Deokjeok-myeon area twice a day distributing supplies like food, daily necessities, and home appliances. Of course, first come first served for this."

They can obtain supplies.

Parties who heard those words rolled their eyes at other parties.

They had to somehow get their hands on supplies for living on the island for 5 days.

Even if it meant fighting each other.

As if foreseeing that, the instructor added words.

"We won't intervene even if you compete for supplies... But I hope there won't be bloodshed from fighting unnecessarily. If we see signs of that, we'll immediately intervene and give appropriate punishment, so know that."

It was common for students to fight each other during final evaluations in high school academy too.

But middle school academy instructors pleaded for such things to not happen at all, perhaps conscious of public opinion.

How effective those words would be, even the instructors couldn't predict.

"I hope there won't be any nice boat incidents! Then we'll start the final evaluation now!"

With those final words, students set out to find boats assigned to their parties.

The 2nd year 2nd semester final evaluation for middle school academy began like that.

☆

"Did you load all the luggage?"

"Ah, Eunha. Yeah."

Eunha walked along Yeongan Port.

His party members were loading luggage onto the boat and gathering supplied items under Seona's instructions.

As a result, Eunha who had nothing to do came to see if other friends were preparing well.

"Where's Minho?"

"He's organizing luggage inside."

"Don't you need to help?"

"I'm doing this. Memorizing the map."

The boat Mok Minho's party will board.

Hayang was standing outside reading a map of Deokjeok-myeon.

When he approached and spoke to her, she greeted him with a smile.

But Eunha could tell.

That she was forcing a smile.

"...Problems will arise a lot when you're together for 5 days. I hope you won't suffer too much mentally."

"...Yeah. Thanks for the advice."

After the cultural festival ended.

The relationship between the two didn't seem to have changed much on the surface, but actually many parts had changed considerably.

Hayang now found him difficult and felt burdened by time spent together.

To be precise, she was still undecided on how to treat Eunha.

"...Eunha?"

"It's nothing."

"...Okay."

The wind blew, and Hayang's hair shook in front of her face.

Eunha was about to organize her hair and incidentally pinch her cheek, but soon stopped his hand in midair.

Hayang's eyes wavered for a moment.

He who grasped her agitation quickly withdrew his hand.

He could no longer unhesitatingly reach for her cheek now.

Because it would hurt her.

"...I'm sorry. Because of me."

"......"

"I'll pull myself together soon."

As if reading his mind.

Hayang spoke while smiling with her eyes gently closed.

Eunha couldn't say anything to her who seemed to be forcing a smile.

Although nothing actually happened between the two.

But something clearly happened between the two.

Just clumsy consideration was making it as if nothing happened.

However, illusions were vague, and the illusion the two had built up was slowly crumbling.

Because the two eventually confirmed each other's hearts.

"...Okay."

Therefore, Eunha could only nod.

He who grew psychologically distant from her now couldn't tell whether she had given up on liking him or not yet.

Eunha was fine either way.

He just prayed for her not to be hurt.

"But Eunha. Everyone is very dissatisfied. They're asking why they can't enter your party and have to enter Gain's party..."

"......"

"I'm fine though."

Soon Hayang changed the topic.

Eunha recalled Jin Parang coming to find him recently hearing her words.

At that time, Jin Parang pleaded to change parties saying he disliked Choi Gain.

Eunha who promised Mok Minho in advance rejected Jin Parang's request.

But other friends didn't say anything, so Eunha was letting it pass.

"The reason I sent you to this side is firstly considering balance, but above all because you were the only one who could check Choi Gain."

"Yeah, I thought it might be something like that."

Eunha didn't miss Hayang's face relaxing.

Although she said it was fine, it seems she was also inwardly concerned about not being able to enter his party.

So he honestly revealed what kind of party he envisioned to cheer her up.

She listened to that silently.

"It might be hard, but I hope you'll manage Parang hyung too and check that Choi Gain doesn't pull any tricks."

"Okay, I'll do that. But Eunha. Won't you say anything to Minji?"

"......"

"She seemed to be in a bad mood lately..."

Jung Hayang mentioning Kim Minji.

Eunha was also aware that Minji had been depressed lately.

She was a childhood friend he had known longest among friends.

Although she was acting unlike herself, he wasn't unaware that she was inwardly anxious.

The reason she was anxious too.

Eunha inwardly guessed.

"I want to do something for her somehow too... But it's not something I can do. What should I say? Even if I try to make excuses, there's no way Minji will just believe it."

"Still... If you say something warmly, Minji might..."

"Given Minji's personality, I think she'd feel even worse."

Eunha said firmly.

Hayang couldn't refute those words.

Minji was quick-witted.

As he said, even if he made excuses, she would notice and stop him.

"It's true that I assigned Kim Minji to your party because she's weak. There's no need to unnecessarily make Minji cry by saying something both she and you all know."

Eunha objectively evaluated Kim Minji.

Kim Minji was ordinary. Although she might be superior to other students now, she would soon fall to an ordinary student once the 31st class enters.

She had to accept that.

That no matter how hard she tries, she can't become as strong as the golden generation.

And that fact was something he or his friends called promising rookies among the 031 class couldn't tell her.

Something Kim Minji herself had to realize and accept, not anyone else.

"And the reason I put Minji in your party is for Minji's sake too."

"...Why?"

Eunha closed his mouth for a moment while feeling the sea breeze.

Then he opened his mouth.

While raising the corners of his mouth coldly.

"Although Seona ended up like this by chance, I was planning to push the kids in my party to the extreme this time, so Minji wouldn't be able to keep up."

"...Dojun too?"

"Ah, Yoo Dojun is an exception too. I just didn't have anyone suitable to fill with him."

Hayang was inwardly relieved.

For not entering Eunha's party.

On the other hand, she was also worried if Seona would have a hard time.

However, she knew well that he wouldn't back down regarding such matters no matter what she said to him.

"...I hope everyone stays alive."

"Do I look like someone who would kill people?"

"...Yeah, a little."

"Huh, really..."

Eunha asking back in disbelief.

Hayang burst out in joyful laughter towards him after a long time.

Eunha who felt awkward for no reason deliberately cleared his throat and changed the topic.

"Anyway. See you on the island. Don't get hurt."

"...Yeah. You too."

How mean.

If you don't even say that, I feel like I could give up this heart.

Hayang smiled while suppressing her fluttering heart.

☆

The boat departed from the sea in front of Incheon.

The boat that was advancing towards the path to Jawoldo passed Jawoldo and scattered to Deokjeok-myeon.

Parties now advanced not knowing where each other would land.

"Boss, how far are we going? That's Bijobong on Deokjeok Island. Lucky. Those guys are landing right nearby?"

"It would be nice if we landed nearby too, then would those kids get 1st place?"

Eunha's party's boat had already passed Deokjeok Island.

Then party members looked with anxious faces at students landing in places close to Bijobong which was the final destination.

"Don't worry. They'll have a hard time finding flags on Bijobong anyway."

Eunha calmed his party members' anxiety while calmly leaning his body on the chair backrest.

Yoo Dojun was grumbling saying he can't use his smartphone, and Hoshimiya Kaede was just closing her eyes on the shaking boat.

"Urp...!"

"I told you to put on a patch at least."

"Urp...! You... How did you know I would get motion sickness?"

"You look like you'd get motion sick just by looking."

Meanwhile, Bae Subin couldn't come to her senses due to seasickness.

Eunha who remembered her getting seasick in his previous life clicked his tongue.

Meanwhile, the boat circled Deokjeok Island and stopped in the Mungap Island area, the farthest place from Deokjeok-myeon.

On the sea.

"Huh? Instructor. Why here..."

Eunhyeok who was holding the railing went inside and expressed doubt.

Regardless, the instructor who stopped the boat looked back at Eunha and party members and raised the corners of his mouth.

"This is where you'll get off."

"...In the middle of the sea?"

"Minho's party should be getting off at a position far from Bijobong right now too?"

""""...."""

Party members with faces like they ate bugs.

However, Eunha didn't show any particular reaction as if he expected this.

Seeing him react like that, the rest of the party members also came to their senses little by little.

"Seona. First figure out our position here, then let's eat lunch. It'll be hard just jumping over the sea to the nearest island."

"Okay, got it."

Eunha maintaining composure in the middle of the sea.

Because he was there, party members could calmly grasp the situation.

Even Hoshimiya Kaede who initially showed signs of being flustered quietly looked at Eunha as others became calm.

"Why?"

"...You seem used to things like this."

Eunha who noticed her gaze spoke to her.

Kaede who was startled when their eyes met shook her head and cut off her words.

There were similar incidents several times in high school academy too...

This was commonplace even when leading the Fog Flower Party...

Eunha shrugged his shoulders without answering her.

Then he looked around at party members who had already taken out combat rations.

"Huh? Boss, aren't you going to eat?"

"I'll eat a little later. You eat first."

"It says you have to wait 15 minutes after pulling this ring? It seems like it'll take even longer if you eat later..."

"It's okay. I'll eat on my own."

Eunha decided to eat lunch later and party members decided to eat lunch among themselves.

It was the first time party members were eating combat rations.

As a result, they opened the combat ration bags while checking the instructions written on the back.

They took out disposable utensils, pulled the heating ring, then closed the opening and decided to wait 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, instructors and players decided to eat lunch rations in shifts.

"Wow! Is this pound cake!?"

"It's unexpectedly edible? There's also aged kimchi and stir-fried sausage..."

After 15 minutes passed.

Eunhyeok and Seona were surprised after tasting the heated combat rations.

Because it was unexpectedly edible.

Yoo Dojun who was eating chocolate balls that came as a bonus until the combat rations were ready also nodded.

"How is it?"

"...It's delicious."

Seona sat between Bae Subin and Hoshimiya Kaede and acted as a buffer between the two.

When Seona asked Kaede friendlily, Kaede who was eating sausage with a spork answered softly.

She was favorable towards Seona.

"But guys─"

At that moment, Eunha spoke to party members tasting combat rations.

"─Don't you feel anything now?"

""""...."""

Eunha opened a combat ration.

He skillfully took out the disposable container then pulled the heating ring.

He who stoo

He set up the battle rations that were full and puffed up, and only then opened his mouth to look at the party members around him.

“Why doesn’t it feel like it’s time to eat?”

“Oh my god, this is crazy….”

In fact, while the Eunha was coming here, it spilled some of the honey of the 7th tier Corpus Nepenthes, which attracts monsters, into the sea.

Thanks to this, several monsters had smelled it and were giving chase, and now they were trying to reveal their presence without any filter.

Bae Soo-bin, who realized it too late, swore while eating.

The others were all the same.

While the instructor and players were flustered by the sudden situation, only two people remained calm.

“Guys, good job.”

One of them was Yoo Do-jun, who had nothing to do with him.

“Combat rations are best when eaten while they’re warm. Guys, if you want to eat them while they’re warm, you’ll have to go out and fight quickly.”

One of them was Noh Eun-ha, who wanted to make only party members fight.

“Eun-ha, you really…!”

“Noh Eun-ha, this son of a b***h…!”

“Captain! Isn’t this really too much!?”

“… Are you serious?”

The party members who had been awkward around each other became united thanks to the addition of Kaede Hoshimiya.