Five minutes before lunch break ended, every member of Hunter Class 1 had already gathered in the auditorium.
It was all thanks to my capable Vice Class Rep, who stood at the entrance radiating killing intent.
“Good work, Vice Class Rep Sa. Very efficient.”
I gave Sa Jeil a pat on the shoulder. He instinctively twisted away and glared daggers at me.
“Don’t call me that. And if you touch me one more time, I’ll take it as a challenge to settle things right here. Remember that.”
I stepped back and shrugged.
“Got it. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Lee Hasol happened to be walking over and asked me, “Kim Daram, what did Sa Jeil say? Did he just challenge you?”
“No. He said all fifty students were present and accounted for. He wants me to leave attendance to him from now on.”
“Ooh. Looks like our Vice Class Rep finally got his act together.”
I heard Sa Jeil breathing roughly behind us, but ignored him.
Vice Class Rep Sa, attendance is your job from now on. If you don’t like it, hurry up, pick a date, and challenge me.
The afternoon schedule consisted of theoretical instruction. Gu Baeksan did not return to the auditorium. Instead, instructors from the Association took charge of us each period, teaching the fundamental theory that every Awakened and Hunter needed to know.
Every member of Hunter Class 1 ranked within the top one percent of the five thousand participants. Most had been sponsored by various Hunter organizations from an early age and had thoroughly prepared for life after Awakening.
No one could know what Trait they would acquire before they Awakened, but modern technology had advanced to the point that virtual reality could simulate different Trait types, allowing prospective Hunters to experience and familiarize themselves with each one.
All that preparation served a single purpose: achieving the best possible result in the Hunter Selection Assessment immediately after Awakening.
Then there were a handful of “pure prodigies” like Lee Hasol, who had entered this world knowing absolutely nothing.
For the former group, the afternoon classes were a chance to review and organize familiar knowledge. For the latter, they offered an exciting first look into the unknown world of Hunters.
As for me, Kim Daram, who belonged to neither group, I was too busy examining my classmates’ Status Windows.
The day flew by.
After dinner, just before we headed to our assigned rooms, Kwon Sua handed me a sheet of paper.
“Class Rep, here.”
“Hm?”
As I read through it, Kwon Sua explained.
“The instructor asked me to find out who’s willing to share their Trait information with the Association. I’ve checked with everyone else. You’re the only one left.”
I had not asked her to do it, so the instructor must have assigned the task to her directly.
She handled everything without needing to be told. My eye for talent had not failed me.
I skimmed the names on the form.
So Hasol had consented.
It made sense. Unlike Sa Jeil and Kwon Sua, who had powerful organizations behind them, Lee Hasol had nothing. Reporting his Traits to the Association and receiving support in return would be far more beneficial for him.
“You may already know this, but if you agree to disclose your Traits, the Association will provide training methods suited to them or resources to help Level them up.”
Kwon Sua kindly added the explanation, apparently concerned that I might not understand what disclosing my Traits to the Association entailed.
Hasol had probably checked the consent box after hearing the same explanation from her.
“Yeah. Thanks for explaining.”
I checked the “Declined” box and handed the form back to her.
“I know people say it’s better to keep your Traits hidden whenever possible, but reporting them to the Association and receiving support would probably benefit you more. May I ask why you declined?”
Kwon Sua looked genuinely puzzled.
“You declined too. So did Sa Jeil. Both Vice Class Reps declined, so I just followed your example.”
“No, that’s… Sa Jeil and I…”
Kwon Sua faltered, visibly flustered.
Yes, I knew.
She had Oseong Electronics firmly behind her, while Sa Jeil’s father was the guildmaster of the Death Notice Guild. Neither of them had any reason to disclose their Traits to the Association. Their respective organizations were undoubtedly already preparing everything necessary to Level up their Traits.
Kwon Sua hesitated for a while before swallowing her words. Apparently, she was too embarrassed to say, “I was born rich, so I don’t need the Association’s help,” out loud.
Her reaction was cute enough that I considered teasing her some more, but decided against it. There was no point in needlessly troubling such a capable Vice Class Rep.
“I’m kidding. I have my reasons for now. I can always report my Traits to the Association later, right? Thanks for worrying about me.”
“What? No, I wasn’t worried. I just…”
Kwon Sua stared at me as though I had said something ridiculous.
“Then should I thank you for being considerate?”
“No! What are you even talking about?”
“Oh, really? Not that either? Anyway, I’m heading in. You should get some rest too, Vice Class Rep Kwon. You worked hard today.”
As I turned away, Kwon Sua called after me.
“Class Rep.”
“Yeah?”
She bit her lip and hesitated briefly before making up her mind.
“Have you heard about the participant who Cleared Level 20 in this Assessment?”
Well, well.
That information was supposed to be classified even within the Association. The Chairman had repeatedly warned me not to go around telling anyone.
Still, it was hardly shocking. An organization as powerful as Oseong Electronics could easily plant one or two informants inside the Hunter Association.
“Really? Someone Cleared Level 20?”
I shamelessly played dumb.
Undeterred by my reaction, Kwon Sua cautiously asked the question she had been holding back.
“Was it you?”
“Before you ask me that, wouldn’t it be polite to reveal your own final Level?”
“I… Cleared Level 13. The Gatekeeper was a Stone Golem.”
“That’s impressive. Level 13? Now I know how capable our Vice Class Rep Kwon is. Well, I’m heading in. See you tomorrow!”
I spun around and strode away. Kwon Sua hurried after me.
“What? You have to tell me yours too!”
She grabbed my shoulder and shouted. I slowly peeled her fingers away one by one.
“Vice Class Rep Kwon, get a grip. Weren’t you listening during orientation? We were told not to disclose the final Level we Cleared in the Hunter Selection Assessment to anyone. You can’t just reveal it that easily. I’ll keep your secret, but be more careful next time.”
“Hey!”
At nineteen, Kwon Sua still seemed remarkably innocent.
I raised a hand over my head and gave her a casual wave.
See you tomorrow.
*****
The enormous dome’s basement contained guest rooms comparable to those of a luxury hotel.
Hunter trainees were generally assigned two to a room with classmates of the same gender, but since Hunter Class 1 had an odd number of both men and women, one person from each group could receive a private room.
Naturally, the men’s private room went to me, the Class Rep.
Damn. So this was what power tasted like.
Only in my second life had I finally discovered its charms.
The moment I entered my room, I stripped down to my underwear and assumed the stance Song Guseul had taught me.
“Flash” was a rapid forward leap.
“Dragon Surge” drew out the momentum generated by Flash and unleashed it all at once through the shoulder and back.
Those were the names of the techniques Song Guseul had taught us.
Our week of hellish training had not gone to waste. Both techniques had proven remarkably effective during my brief clash with Sa Jeil. Once I fully internalized them, they would become powerful weapons in any situation.
Recalling the sensation from earlier, I repeated the movements and practiced distributing my strength.
By the time I noticed how late it was, midnight had arrived. Sweat drenched my entire body and had pooled across the floor.
Should I stop here and go to bed?
I was heading toward the bathroom to shower when someone knocked on the door.
Killing intent seeped through the gap beneath it. I did not need to look to know who was standing outside.
Still dressed only in my underwear, I opened the door.
Sure enough, a familiar face awaited me. Narrow, sharp eyes. Lips pressed into a firm line.
My visitor was Sa Jeil.
My appearance caught him off guard for an instant, but he quickly composed himself and spoke with grave solemnity.
“Come out. Let’s settle this.”
I had expected him to come for me soon, but I had not anticipated it happening tonight.
Still, that was hardly a problem.
If anything, the timing was perfect.
“Gladly.”
This would not end with a simple fistfight like our clash that morning. We needed somewhere we could use our Traits freely without causing trouble.
We headed for the sparring room.
On the way, Lee Hasol spotted us while eating cup noodles in the lobby.
“Kim Daram, where are you going? Oh, it’s Sa Jeil. Don’t tell me you two are about to fight. I want to watch!”
“Get lost, Yellow Hair.”
Sa Jeil unleashed a vicious wave of killing intent, but Lee Hasol remained unfazed.
“No. I’m coming too.”
“Want me to kill you first?”
The two stepped toward each other and locked eyes, the tension between them ready to explode.
I draped an arm over Sa Jeil’s shoulder.
“One observer should be fine, shouldn’t it? If you two ever fight, I’ll observe that match.”
Sa Jeil violently knocked my hand away.
“I told you that if you touched me again, I’d finish you for good.”
“I know. That’s why we’re already on our way to finish this. Let’s go, Lee Hasol.”
Leaving Sa Jeil behind, I took the lead. Lee Hasol slurped down the rest of his noodles and fell into step beside me.
Behind us, Sa Jeil’s breathing grew rougher by the second.
He really was fun to tease.
*****
“Sa Jeil, want to hear something interesting?”
“…”
He said nothing and merely glared at me.
“You came in third in this Assessment. Lee Hasol over there came in second. So who do you think came in first?”
Sa Jeil bit down hard on his lip.
“It was only an Assessment. In the end, the one who survives to the very end is the strongest.”
He was right.
In the face of the System’s mercilessness, an early advantage like one’s Hunter Selection Assessment ranking was fleeting. The Hunter who survived to the bitter end was the one who could truly call himself strong.
Sa Jeil had already grasped that simple yet absolute truth. It was probably because he had grown up watching countless Hunters live and die.
But that did not change the fact that I had placed higher than him.
You shouldn’t run from reality, kid.
“Third place sure talks a lot.”
“I’ll kill you…”
Sa Jeil sliced open his palm.
Blood surged from the wound before condensing into an enormous sword in midair.
The shape of his sword has changed.
Previously, it had taken the form of a simple greatsword. Now, a bloodred aura streamed endlessly from its blade like roaring flames.
He said he reached Level 14, didn’t he? His Trait must have Leveled up too.
I checked Sa Jeil’s Status Window.
【Sa Jeil】
【Level】: 17
【Traits】
┕ [Condition] Blood Sword (LV 2)
【Encroachment Rate】: 38%
【Ranking】: Requirements Not Met
【Performance Score】: 36,000
Wow. Just look at that Encroachment Rate.
He was also two Levels above Lee Hasol.
Those two numbers alone told me how Sa Jeil had progressed through the Assessment Stage. Rather than exploiting out-of-bounds rulings, he had clearly slaughtered every Gatekeeper on his way up.
I summoned a Puppet Needle in each hand.
“Don’t underestimate me. Did you really think I’d fall for that trick again?”
Sa Jeil ground out the words as he stared at the needles.
At the same time, the red energy pouring from his sword wrapped tightly around his entire body. In the blink of an eye, Sa Jeil had transformed into a berserker clad in crimson armor.
Only half a day had passed since I sent him tumbling pathetically across the floor in front of everyone. I had wondered what made him so confident despite that humiliation.
So he did have something to rely on.
Sorry, Sa Jeil. But so do I.
I ostentatiously raised the Puppet Needles in both hands.
Then I drove them straight into my own neck.