“By the way, why aren’t Kang Haeun and Lee Hamin coming? What are they talking about with Yoo Seowoo?”
“Uh… probably a lecture?”
“Huh?”
A lecture? Caught off guard by the unexpected answer, Sihyeon asked again. Haru, who had just caught the dagger Sihyeon threw, nodded.
“Probably… something like that?”
“That’s ridiculous….”
It was impossible to imagine Lee Hamin and Kang Haeun being lectured by Yoo Seowoo. He didn’t know what they had done wrong, but if Yoo Seowoo was involved, there had to be a reason.
Sihyeon dodged the dagger Haru threw and reached out. Blue water surged forward and engulfed Haru’s face. The goal was to condense the water and induce suffocation, but not only did it fail to suffocate him, it didn’t even condense properly. Watching the water simply flow down, Sihyeon clicked his tongue.
“Looks like I still can’t do this yet.”
“…Are you okay?”
“Huh? Yeah. I didn’t overdo it.”
Whenever he used water-attribute skills, Haru worried excessively. He didn’t even seem to care that his own head was completely soaked from being hit by the skill. Sihyeon handed him a towel, then glanced over at the other members of Team B, who had gathered at some point and were doing individual practice. The only ones still missing were Hamin and Haeun.
Not like I’m in any position to complain about being late to a meeting.
Just as he was thinking that, the door burst open and Haeun and Hamin appeared like tigers. Both of them looked so haggard that anyone might mistake them for people who had just spent three days working at a construction site.
“Why are you so late?”
They staggered forward weakly, and as Sihyeon spoke in a scolding tone, Hamin shot him an annoyed glance and collapsed onto a bench. Kang Haeun sat beside him. Both looked utterly drained.
“…I don’t really like Shin Yijae anymore.”
Haeun muttered like he was sulking. Sihyeon had no idea what they’d heard during the 30 minutes they were stuck with Yoo Seowoo. He recalled the pyramid he had imagined in his head—Kang Haeun had always been at the top, but now it felt like it might actually be Yoo Seowoo.
Soft, but strong… something like that.
Curious what kind of words could’ve caused this, Sihyeon asked, but the two clamped their mouths shut as if they had promised each other not to speak. If he’d known this would happen, he would’ve forced himself to eat and stayed behind instead of following Shin Yijae.
“Seriously, why did you even follow him in the first place?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Why are you dragging me into this out of nowhere?
Sihyeon asked, dumbfounded. Hamin let out a sigh and muttered, “Yeah, yeah. My fault for not keeping him in check.” As a bonus, Haeun added blankly, “Guess it’s my fault too.”
“What’s wrong with you two?”
“Sihyeon hyung!”
Just as Sihyeon was muttering in a displeased tone, Shin Yijae called out to him.
“Hmm?”
“Hajin hyung said he wants to see your skill! Could you show Continuous Heal one more time?”
“Oh? Sure.”
Seeing no reason to refuse, Sihyeon nodded—only for Hamin to suddenly grab his wrist. It happened the moment he tried to take a step. Wondering if he had something to say, Sihyeon turned around, but Hamin—who had looked like a corpse just moments ago—was now dragging him toward the metal training dummy.
“We should work on our coordination too.”
“Yeah, yeah!”
“…Yeah.”
Hamin started it, Haeun chimed in, and Haru finished it off. Standing in front of the dummy with a baffled expression, Sihyeon frowned.
“What coordination is there to work on?”
They were a group that had already trained together multiple times. Their practice time was already limited, so he didn’t see why they should split it further for unnecessary drills. But Hamin insisted, saying you never know, and urged him to practice together.
“Ah, hyung, it’s okay if you’re busy!”
In the end, Shin Yijae backed off first, and Haeun and Hamin slapped their palms together. Normally, they couldn’t stand each other, so it was a strangely unfamiliar sight.
Reluctantly going along with them, Sihyeon shook his head.
And so, the practice itself was exhausting, dealing with Hamin and Haeun—who refused to let Shin Yijae have him—was exhausting, and even mealtime became exhausting due to what felt like an increased food intake compared to before.
Time passed like that, and the monthly evaluation finally arrived.
Whether that was fortunate or unfortunate, he couldn’t say.
“I think I’ve gained a bit of weight lately….”
“If you ate like that and didn’t gain weight, you wouldn’t even be human.”
As they talked on the way to the auditorium, Hamin shot back incredulously. Sihyeon touched his own arm and recalled the boy who used to cry, saying his wrists were so thin they could be grasped in one hand. Now, it felt like he might finally be considered healthy.
“Do you think they’ll create a separate field again for this evaluation?”
“Who knows. Since they told us to gather in the auditorium, it might be virtual reality.”
As Haeun asked and they briefly speculated, the members of Room 207 arrived at the auditorium. Unlike the previous evaluation, where they lined up by class, this time teachers stood holding alphabet signs, suggesting they would line up by team.
Walking toward the teacher holding the ‘B’ sign, they were greeted by Shin Yijae and Hajin, who had arrived first. Sihyeon gave a brief nod and looked around. In Class D’s line stood Geonwoo and Seowoo, while Dawoon and Jihye stood in Class A’s line.
After glancing at them briefly, Sihyeon turned away upon spotting Yesol and Ha Yeon arriving slightly late.
Since everyone had gathered, they began a brief discussion about today’s evaluation when suddenly—
Beep—!
A sharp, grating noise pierced their ears from the speakers. Sihyeon frowned and covered his ears, looking toward the stage.
“Ahem, hello to all first-year students of Strongest High!”
It was the principal’s usual greeting. Sihyeon shot the teacher a look that clearly said he wished they’d fix that awful microphone noise. The principal scanned the students and repeated the same familiar opening remarks. It wasn’t until over five minutes had passed that he finally got to the point.
“Now then, I will explain the 3rd Monthly Evaluation. Three days ago, you should have received the Irregular you must defeat and the mission you must clear. And you’ve likely practiced a great deal as teams to accomplish that mission. Now, you will demonstrate that skill in real combat. This evaluation, unlike the last one, will not take place within the school.”
“Hmm?”
Sihyeon, who had been listening with a nod, showed confusion at the unexpected statement. Then where will it be held? As he looked at the principal, the man paused for effect before continuing.
“In this evaluation, you will move with teachers carrying evaluation cameras to each team’s designated ‘evaluation site’ and carry out your assessment there.”
“What?”
At the word “move,” the students reacted in surprise. They had assumed it would be virtual reality or that captured Irregulars would be released in a controlled field—but not that they’d have to physically relocate.
“…Is our safety guaranteed?”
Something like that happened during the field trip….
At the thought of leaving school grounds, one student spoke cautiously. Others murmured anxiously, but the principal struck the podium twice, calling for silence. The chatter died down, and as everyone watched, he spoke again.
“For this evaluation, two A-grade Awakened will accompany each team. The school prioritizes your lives above all else in conducting this evaluation. I understand your concerns after the field trip incident. However, as Mir Military trainees—who may one day stand on the front lines of war against Irregulars—you cannot afford to fear them.”
His voice turned solemn. It felt like voicing any objection would get them expelled on the spot.
“Behind you stand citizens you must protect. If you encounter a powerful Irregular, will you run away while carrying their lives on your backs?”
“…….”
“The school will always do its utmost to ensure your safety. So I sincerely hope that through this evaluation, you will overcome your fear and grow.”
No one answered. But Sihyeon could tell that, aside from a few, the students’ gazes had changed as they looked at the principal. Watching them quietly, the principal gave a gentle smile before speaking again.
“Now then, we will begin the 3rd Monthly Evaluation. Detailed instructions will be provided by the teacher assigned to each team, who will accompany you with an evaluation camera. I look forward to seeing excellent performances from all teams.”
With that, the principal stepped down from the stage. The teachers holding signs began calling their assigned teams. Team B was no exception.
“Team B, please gather in a circle around me!”
At their homeroom teacher’s instruction, Sihyeon and the others formed a circle around him. Only now did they notice he was holding a large camera in his arms.
“From here, we’ll head to the field and take a teleport to the Orc settlement! Two A-grade Awakened from the Association will accompany us to ensure your safety in case anything happens, so try not to worry too much!”
So instead of dealing with captured Irregulars, they were going directly into their habitat. It only truly sank in after hearing the explanation. As Sihyeon tightened his grip on his staff, Ha Yeon raised her hand.
“Then we won’t be able to see other teams’ evaluations?”
“Each team will carry out different missions in different locations, so you won’t be able to watch other teams’ battles. However, five teachers—including the principal—will remain in the auditorium as judges and monitor you through the evaluation cameras.”
“Will all teams be evaluated at the same time?”
“The teleport destinations are designated ‘safe zones’ where Irregulars cannot attack. You can prepare for battle there. The evaluation begins the moment you leave the safe zone, so start times may differ slightly between teams.”
At least they weren’t being thrown straight into combat the moment they arrived. Whether that was considerate or not, Sihyeon couldn’t tell. When asked if there were more questions, he spoke up.
“Is there a chance that Orc units from other settlements might interfere during the battle?”
“There is.”
“…What?”
The answer came so plainly that Sihyeon blinked and asked again. The homeroom teacher nodded firmly, as if to confirm it, gripping the camera with a resolute expression.
“This evaluation, unlike the others you’ve done, is a perfect ‘real combat’ test. For your convenience and safety, we have not lowered the level of the Irregulars or created artificial environments. That’s why two A-grade Awakened per team are on standby. So yes—while you’re fighting, Orc units from other settlements may intervene. However, there will be no Orc Lord present.”
There’s only one Lord per type of Irregular. A new one is only chosen when the existing Lord dies.
Muttering what he had learned in theory class, Sihyeon looked at the teacher. “Shall we go?” the teacher said. Sihyeon reluctantly nodded, his uneasy gaze shifting between Team B and the teacher.
The anxiety he had felt earlier in the meeting room… it seemed it hadn’t come from his teammates, but from a premonition of what would happen today.
At this point, it wouldn’t hurt to be wrong for once.
But every time he had a bad feeling, it always came true—it sent chills down his spine. Feeling his steps grow heavier as they walked to the field, Sihyeon stepped onto the teleportation circle prepared by the Association, already certain this evaluation wouldn’t be easy.
“Team B, moving out!”
At the teacher’s shout, Sihyeon grabbed Haru’s hand—just in case something went wrong with the teleport. Haru squeezed back.
Flash!
A burst of light poured down.
