Chapter 64.

Hiik—!

Soon after a short scream, Chae Nayun jumped out of the tall grass . With a sour expression, she slowly approached me .

“Why were you following me?”

I asked with my gun still pointing at her .

“…Don’t misunderstand . I wasn’t following you . ”

Chae Nayun spoke as she scratched her face .

“Then what?”

“… . ”

“See, I’m right . ”

I put my finger closer to the trigger . Chae Nayun started slightly .

“Well, before that, how did you do that just now?”

Without being intimidated, she asked about the Light Sphere I just created . I see, so my gun wasn’t threatening enough .

“Tell me why you were following me first . ”

Chae Nayun furrowed her brows, then finally answered .

“I wasn’t following you, I was following Seung-Ah unni . ”

“…Huh?”

I tilted my head . Why did Yun Seung-Ah’s name pop out now?

“Seung-Ah? The same Yun Seung-Ah that I know?”

“Yeah, but you should really address her more politely . ”

“… . ”

I turned around, pretending to fall into thought while taking out the laptop and checking the drone footage .

There were four drones in this area . From one, I could see Yun Seung-Ah sitting on a tree like a cat, looking down at us .

“Yun Seung-Ah… . ”

“Hey, can you stop addressing her with just her name?”

I knew that she was here as an overseer and knew who she would be observing .

The first two days should be Kim Suho, then the third and fourth day should be other potential talents .

If things went according to the original story, she should be watching Jayden by now… . Could it be that I was on her list of potential talents?

“Hey, now tell me how you made that Light Sphere . ”

“Yeah, I’m the one who made it . Anyways, since you’re here, let’s hunt these together . ”

“No~! I know you made it, I’m asking how…”

Chae Nayun couldn’t continue her sentence . Like squids lured to the surface by light, alligator monsters began to emerge from the lake’s depths .

Wizard Alligators, low-intermediate rank grade 5~7 monsters .

These strange alligators with blue skin had the ability to condense magic power in their mouth and shoot it out . This attack was threatening when used in an ambush underwater, but after surfacing like they did now, their danger level was halved .

I pointed at the alligators and made an offer,

“Half-half?”

Wizard Alligators had tough skin, so it would be difficult for me to kill them with a training handgun . I originally planned to use my Desert Eagle, but I couldn’t now that an overseer was observing me .

“First, tell me how you did— Ah, damn it . ”

At that moment, an alligator fired a manaball at Chae Nayun .

Mm .

I was satisfied .

My luck even helped me with such trivial matters .

**

Yun Seung-Ah looked down on the ground from a tree .

‘…I was almost discovered . ’

When Kim Hajin created a Light Sphere, Yun Seung-Ah was shaken up . If it wasn’t for Chae Nayun, she would have been found out . Of course, Light Sphere was a magic most Heroes could easily use .

But the intensity of the light and the time it was being used were problems . Condensing magic power externally then maintain it, though it sounded easy, it was a fairly difficult technique that even Yun Seung-Ah only mastered on the second term of her first year .

‘I knew that kid wouldn’t write a baseless report . ’

Seeing that Kim Hajin had created a Light Sphere of such scale so effortlessly, Yun Seung-Ah smiled in satisfaction .

‘Kim Hajin . I’ll have to add a star above his name . ’

**

The alligator writhed in pain . However, the injury wasn’t fatal . My attack wasn’t meant to kill, only injure . The real attack came next .

A flash of magic power drawing a line .

A terrifying magic power towering above a sword blade severed the alligator’s mouth . With its body and mouth separated, the alligator slumped down helplessly .

That was Chae Nayun’s sword strike . No alligator could withstand over a single sword strike from her . It was quite literally ‘cutting in two with one stroke of the sword’[1], a truly awe-inspiring power .

“Did you start using a sword?”

“… . ”

Chae Nayun put away her sword silently . At the same time, her hands were trembling noticeably . Seeing this, I closed my mouth . Currently, the unpleasant sensation of cutting through flesh should remain on her hands .

I didn’t know what that felt like . Not knowing it made me afraid of it more .

“…Since there’s four, we’ll each scan two . I’ll take this one and that one . ”

I scanned two alligators with the exam smartwatch . Out of conscience, I chose the two smaller ones .

Chae Nayun then scanned the two alligators, and then the hunt ended .

Now, there was no reason for us to be together .

“Since we’re done here, you should go . ”

“…You really don’t want to tell me, huh . Is it so hard to tell me how you made that Light Sphere?”

Chae Nayun pouted and grumbled .

With a small smile, I answered her .

“You’ll get hurt if you find out . ”

“What?”

Chae Nayun frowned .

That was the truth . If I wanted to explain Stigma’s magic power, I had to explain that this world was a world within a novel .

“…What nonsense is that?”

“Just go . I came here first, so you go that way . ”

I pointed to a direction, then started walking the other way .

Chae Nayun seemed to glare at my back, then finally began to walk… no, stomp away .

*

After splitting up from Chae Nayun, I moved busily .

Using the Thousand-Mile Eyes fully, I searched for low-intermediate rank grade 7~9 monsters, then killed them . Wolf, deer, octopus… . In just two hours, I obtained 15 points .

And now .

“… . ”

I stopped, feeling a presence from the tall grass behind me .

It wasn’t that I noticed her presence . The person who was tailing me this entire time revealed her presence on purpose . It seemed she finally wanted to show herself .

She must have finished observing me .

I patiently waited .

Soon, she flew through the trees like a butterfly, then landed about 50 meters in front of me .

“Hello . ”

Yun Seung-Ah spoke with a bright smile .

“This is the first time since you turned me down, right?”

As a greeting, she brought up what happened at our last meeting . I had cold-heartedly(?) rejected her business card .

“…Right, but what is it so suddenly?”

“Ah, I’m sorry . It really is a bit sudden, isn’t it?”

Yun Seung-Ah nodded in understanding, then continued .

“You see, I’ve been going around to different cadets, giving them a special event . You know, to also test their skill . ”

“What? Event?”

“Yes . ”

Yun Seung-Ah pointed at the nametag on her chest .

“Would you like to try taking it?”

“…Yes?”

Although she might not have meant it, her words and the positioning of her finger was perfect for bringing up a misunderstanding .

Unaware of my thoughts, Yun Seung-Ah continued .

“The event is simple . I’ll stay here, only using my left hand . If you can make me move even a single step, or if you land an attack other than on my left hand, I’ll give you this nametag . ”

“…Nametag?”

“Yes, I’ll bet my guild on this promise . ”

If she was betting her guild, that was more of a vow than a promise .

Thus, I rubbed my chin and pondered .

That nametag was worth 200 points, and that should undoubtedly place me in the first place .

In that case, what could I gain from getting first place on the final exam?

First, I would gain quite a bit of SP as guilds and Djinns would take notice of me .

Furthermore, Kim Suho, who was supposed to get the first place, might be encouraged to try harder… . No, no no no .

I was forgetting the most important thing, and that was how to take Yun Seung-Ah’s nametag in the first place .

“I’ll stay here . Make your decision . You can challenge me, or you can turn back . ”

Yun Seung-Ah added as though she read my thoughts .

“It’s quite an unexpected event . ”

As I said that, I fired at her without warning . But Yun Seung-Ah instantly struck down the bullets, using just her left hand as she promised . It almost looked like the bullets were plastic straws .

“…That was pretty prickly, far more powerful than what a training handgun should be capable of . Looks like your Gift really is related to guns . ”

In that previous exchange, Yun Seung-Ah didn’t coat her hand with magic power . Right, she had struck down the bullets purely with her physical ability . Most likely, she wanted to confirm the bullets’ power .

For the record, the reason the bullets were stronger wasn’t my Gift, but because of the invisible Aether . By adhering to the training handgun, Aether had strengthened its power .

“Try more . ”

At Yun Seung-Ah’s words, I pulled the trigger ten more times . Ten bullets flew at her almost simultaneously at different parts of her body . However, Yun Seung-Ah struck them all down without moving a single step . She didn’t use her magic power either .

“That was fast . I thought they were coming at me simultaneously . ”

Yun Seung-Ah muttered leisurely .

This… . I might actually have a chance . The handicap she put on herself was that critical . Since I also had two knives, perhaps I could try a feint .

With that in mind, I took out the two knives hanging by my waist, then stuck Stigma’s magic power around their handles .

“Oh~ right . You used a sword before you switched to a gun . Using a gun and sword at the same time, that’s smart . ”

Bothered by her commentary, I threw the knives at her . One towards her chest, and the other towards her face . Then, I fired . Two knives and twenty bullets, I wondered how Yun Seung-Ah would deal with it .

Clang!

Yun Seung-Ah first struck down the two knives, then took the bullets with her body by mitigating the bullets’ impact . At that moment, however, the two knives sprung back up .

Hurriedly repositioning themselves after being flung away, the knives flew towards her heels .

She said she would only use her left hand, and her heels were too far for her hands to reach… .

However, to my astonishment, she released magic power with her left hand and completely shattered the knives .

“…Wow . ”

My attack ended in vain .

However, Yun Seung-Ah’s expression was that of excitement .

“Interesting . You used magic power to change the knives’ trajectory . What technique is that?”

You’re like an onion, Hajin-ssi—!

I ignored the last bit of compliment and scratched my neck .

There was nothing I could do .

Unless a lightning bolt or a meteor suddenly fell on Yun Seung-Ah, this event was impossible to accomplish . Even luck couldn’t cover an absurd difference in skill .

I put my gun back in my holster . But Yun Seung-Ah seemed to have misunderstood my intention as the magic power on her left hand became even sharper .

“What mysterious technique are you trying to show this time~?”

With her hand-blade held out, she smiled .

Yun Seung-Ah was still hungry, still unsatisfied . Her desire to collect talent was truly admirable .

However, I planned to mercilessly betray her hopes .

After collecting the shattered remains of my knives, I turned back without regret . Then, I began to walk back the way I came from .

Once I took about five steps, Yun Seung-Ah’s dazed voice rang out .

“…Hello?”

I continued to walk away, and then she took a step forward .

“Where are you going…?”

At that moment!

I turned around .

“…You said you’d only use your left hand . ”

“…Eh?”

I pointed at her right foot, then spoke .

“But you just used your right foot . ”

“… . ”

Immediately, Yun Seung-Ah’s face became frozen cold .

“I’m kidding, hahaha . ”

I chuckled and turned back .

In truth, I was only half-joking and planned to argue with her, but because Yun Seung-Ah’s eyes were too glaringly intimidating, I just gave up .

‘…Let’s just go back to the tent and eat with Rachel . ’

**

The fourth day .

“Rachel-ssi, stay with me for today . ”

During breakfast, I told Rachel .

“?”

Rachel tilted her head in the middle of eating .

“The test will end soon . ”

Today was ‘that’ day .

It was something she should have naturally faced with Kim Suho, but because Rachel was teamed up with me, I had to bring her there .

This was a very important event as this was where Rachel would obtain a clue to her enlightenment .

“Everyone’s pretty crazed . It’ll be too dangerous alone . ”

In reality, today was the last day as the exam would end at 9 A . M . tomorrow .

“You have to protect me, Rachel-ssi . ”

I spoke again . Rachel was about to nod when she suddenly paused, then tilted her head again .

“…Yes?”

“You didn’t hear wrong . ”

I grinned and got up .

Butterfly Seedling . It was dangerous for me to even get near it . If I accidentally let its root touch me… although I wouldn’t instantly die thanks to Aether, I would undoubtedly lose one or two organs .

“I need you to protect me . ”

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