“Thank you so much yesterday!”
Training, day four. While eating combat rations for breakfast, Arna suddenly expressed her gratitude.
“…”
What is this? In all my life, I never thought I’d hear someone thank me. It was so unexpected that the rice I was chewing ended up going up my nose.
Could this really be Arna? Surely it’s not a monster wearing Arna’s mask, right? Just in case, I decided to check her face.
“What… what is it!? Why are you staring at me like that!? I haven’t washed my face yet! Go away…!”
“Hmph…”
Fortunately, it wasn’t a monster. It was the same bosomy creature I knew.
Still, what made her thank me now? I was curious about the reason.
“What did I do yesterday?”
“Hmm? Don’t you remember? When I was fighting a monster yesterday, you sent reinforcements.”
Ah, that’s what she meant. For a moment, I didn’t know what she was talking about.
It was nothing more than what I should have done anyway.
“Isn’t it a bit late to say thank you? It’s been more than a day.”
“But…! There were so many people around yesterday…”
“So you couldn’t bring yourself to say it in front of everyone?”
“Uh… I’m sorry…”
Arna shrank back her shoulders.
Well, it’s understandable. I didn’t mind much since I didn’t do it expecting thanks in the first place.
“Let’s just finish eating.”
“Yes, yes…”
Breakfast resumed. The combat ration I was eating now was beef bibimbap, but the rice was way too much compared to the actual amount of beef, which was barely the size of a bean.
And it tasted terrible.
“Hmm…”
Arna briefly put down her spoon and looked far away, a faint smile on her face.
“Once this training is over today, it’ll all be finished, won’t it?”
It’s already day four.
On the first day, I wondered how I would survive for five whole days. But as I went through it, one day passed, then the minimum qualification period of three days, and before I knew it, we’d almost finished.
Once this last day is over, this tiresome survival game will finally be completely over.
“If you get leave, what’s the first thing you’d like to do?”
“Hmm. I don’t have anything specific in mind, but if there’s anything I want to try…”
I thought for a second. What was there on that ultra-luxury cruise?
Ah, that’s right.
“I’d like to go to the pool first.”
“Hmm, aren’t you a bit old for a pool?”
“What about you, Arna?”
“Me? Hmm…”
Arna crossed her arms and thought for a moment before speaking to me.
“I’d like to take a hot shower first. Then I’d read a bunch of overdue comics.”
“What a modest dream.”
Still, is it okay to have such a casual conversation now when the training isn’t over yet?
I’m already imagining vacation while drinking kimchi soup. Isn’t this a sure-d*ath flag? What if both of us fail in ten minutes?
……
……
……
At that moment, my smartwatch rang several times. What’s going on? I quickly checked it.
[Survivors: 111/499]
……
[Survivors: 93/499]
……
[Survivors: 85/499]
The number of survivors was decreasing rapidly, changing by the second.
This is the first time I’ve seen something like this. No monsters had appeared either. Even if they did, the number of eliminations wouldn’t happen this quickly.
This feels suspicious.
“Looks like they don’t plan to let us pass easily.”
Arna sensed the chill in the air and grabbed her sword, ready to fight at a moment’s notice.
……
[Survivors: 65/499]
In the blink of an eye, the number of survivors had dropped into the sixties. It’s already almost half gone.
“That way…!”
Arna raised her sword and prepared for battle.
Ching─!
Soon, someone appeared, swinging an arm at Arna. It was a young woman with short hair wearing a Han-yul Military Academy instructor uniform.
Her cybernetic arms shimmered—Combat Division instructor Seo Dan-ah.
Ching─!
Seo Dan-ah swiftly moved her hands with a composed expression while Arna swung her sword to match the speed.
“Arna Kristin Dotir, fight with all your strength. You don’t need to go easy on this instructor.”
“Ugh…”
Since her opponent was human rather than a monster, Arna hesitated. Seo Dan-ah noticed and urged Arna to fight with all her might.
“Unless you want me to take that number off your back.”
Flick─!
Seo Dan-ah elegantly turned around and aimed for Arna’s back.
“!”
Arna wasn’t someone to sit idly by, though. She quickly turned and protected her back, simultaneously parrying the approaching cybernetic arm with her sword.
“Are you just going to stand there watching? Do something!”
While struggling to block the attack, Arna requested my support.
“Hmm…”
What can I possibly do in this situation to help Arna? I quickly began brainstorming.
Fully engaging the brain.
The conclusion I reached was…
Tatadak─!
“Hey…! Where are you going?!”
Use Arna as bait and then run away.
Survival is my priority right now. Arna can certainly handle herself alone.
This is my time to take care of myself.
──!
“Ah…!”
Despite all that, the number of survivors kept decreasing even though Arna should be fighting Seo Dan-ah.
Could there be other instructors on this island besides Seo Dan-ah? Is she not the only one?
Clang─!
At that moment, a sound of aluminum clashing echoed from somewhere.
Whoosh─!
“!”
Then something whizzed past my ear.
It was incredibly fast. I felt something like a projectile passing by.
Thud. Thud.
There was no time given to speculate what it was. A towering man soon appeared in front of me, wielding an aluminum baseball bat.
“Heh…”
The sky-blue Giants uniform, which usually seemed comical, now looked terrifying. The orange wig on his head added a grotesque touch.
Giants-obsessed man, Geum Gye-jun, exhaled hot breath and declared to me:
“The time for Hell’s fungo practice has arrived.”
*
Following Seo Dan-ah, Geum Gye-jun also entered this island. Their purpose is simple—to eliminate as many survivors as possible.
Could they dislike seeing students enjoying themselves on the luxury cruise to such an extent? It was cruel till the very end.
It’s probably part of Kim Dong-hak’s plan.
I’ll pull out every single white beard on his face when I catch him after the training is over.
“Are you all warmed up?”
Anyway, surviving Geum Gye-jun is my priority now.
Today’s Geum Gye-jun seems unusually aggressive. There’s no trace of the usual eccentric character.
“Then, let’s go.”
So─!
Geum Gye-jun opened his palm. A thin thread emerged from it and formed into a ball, a mana ball.
Clang!
With a hearty swing, Geum Gye-jun hurled the mana ball straight toward my direction.
Whoosh─!
The velocity was incredible. If I hadn’t reacted immediately, my skull would’ve been crushed by now.
There’s no joke here. I might even say this is more dangerous than the training monsters.
Isn’t this excessive for just a student? You could really be hurt.
“Hand over the number on your back if you don’t want to get hurt.”
Clang!
Another mana ball came flying. I barely avoided it by rolling on the ground.
“Not good enough yet.”
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
He’s now sending balls in succession. He really has no intention of holding back at all.
“What’s wrong? Did something bad happen? This isn’t usually like you, Instructor.”
“A bad thing, huh… Heh…”
Geum Gye-jun briefly lowered his bat.
“I got swept.”
“Swept? Are you talking about the Giants?”
“Yeah. We utterly bombed this week’s three-game series against the Daejeon Eagles.”
“Ah…”
Of all the baseball teams, being swept by the Daejeon Eagles really ruins the reputation of being ‘Giants of Spring.’
“Still, is it really okay to take out your anger on students because you lost a few games?”
“Lost a few games?”
Clang!
“Gaaaaah!”
The speed of the ball just now was even faster. This is a pitch no baseball player could easily field.
“It’s not just a few games! To me, baseball is life! The Giants are my family!”
“…”
“I am a man who has loved the Giants all my life. Now and forever!”
When someone is this crazy about baseball, you get to understand it just by looking at this guy. Who on earth created such a monster?
Ah, that creator is none other than me.
Clang!
Clang!
d*mn. I can’t keep dodging like this forever. The balls kept coming endlessly, and I started to genuinely worry if I was going to get eliminated.
The only way is to try hitting the ball back. I held up the oversized spoon.
Whoosh─!
Another ball came flying. Timing my swing, I prepared myself.
Tap─!
I hit the ball far into the distance. The spoon’s wide surface made it easier to hit even the swift pitches.
“Hmm, nice form. Did you play baseball when you were young?”
“Yes, though it’s embarrassing, I once dreamed of becoming a baseball player.”
This body. Little League Baseball team of Yulho Elementary. Duration of membership, merely four months.
Reason for quitting baseball after just four months: Playing Animal Fists in front of the stationery shop instead of attending training. Got caught by my mom, who informed my dad.
Since you’re doing this nonsense, quit baseball, said my dad. So, I decisively quit and switched to piano lessons.
Piano school. Dropped out after just three months. Reason, similar to above.
I’ve forgotten all of Czerny pieces now.
“Hmm… There’s another man who has devoted his life to baseball.”
“I told you, it was just once! I don’t do it anymore, right?”
“In that case, I’ll go all out against you.”
“What a headache!”
Thud. Geum Gye-jun boldly threw away his bat.
He’s now stepping up to pitch himself.
“Go ahead and hit it with all your might! Here comes my straight pitch charged with my soul!”
“I quit baseball already, didn’t I?”
Whoosh─!
Another mana ball flew. But its trajectory changed mid-air. A curveball that dropped right in front of me.
“That’s not a straight pitch, you just said it would be!”
“Hahaha! Did you really believe that instructor’s words?”
Geum Gye-jun smiled innocently, like a child, and threw another pitch.
What am I even doing here? I’m supposed to be here for training, not batting practice.
At this point, I don’t even know anymore.
This school is just too weird.
“Hyaaaaargh!”
Whoosh─!
Another changeup. But it wasn’t a simple curveball like before. It showed an even more erratic motion, aiming for my back in a lateral curve.
Whoosh─!
He didn’t give me a moment to catch my breath, and Geum Gye-jun kept throwing the balls.
They didn’t follow a straight line. Some balls headed for the back of my head, others aimed for my side.
Because of their immense speed, there was no way to predict where they would go. By the time I tried to dodge, it was already too late.
There’s no choice. Time to use Blindsight skill here.
It’s the last day of the training anyway, so there’s no reason to hold back. I need to use everything I’ve got.
Whoosh─!
I can see it. The ball flying straight toward my back in clear detail. I swung the spoon in sync with its trajectory.
Tap─!
“Wow, an entirely different reaction speed than before!”
I easily sent the ball flying. With my vision extended in all directions, there was no need to turn my head. I could just stand in place and swing my arm to hit the incoming balls.
Tap─!
Tap─!
Tap─!
“This reflex… It’s truly astonishing… How is such hitting even possible?”
From Geum Gye-jun’s perspective, it is indeed astonishing to see someone remain stationary and only move a spoon to deflect the balls.
“Do you have eyes on your back or something?”
Apparently, even Geum Gye-jun has some form of awareness from being an awakener. Unlike his brutish physique, his instincts were incredibly sharp.
“What about this?”
Soo─!
He made a ball of mana again. This time, it was different. He created multiple balls at once.
“Can you handle all these? I’d love to see how you manage it!”
Whoosh─!
Over a dozen balls were launched at once. They went in every direction, hovering around like flies, seeking my openings.
This isn’t some kind of Whirlwind Sword Technique, is it? Isn’t this way too much? This is genuinely absurd.
“Show me the power of that spoon of yours!”
Fwoosh─!
The balls suspended mid-air momentarily, then simultaneously darted straight toward me.
Even with extended vision in all directions, dodging dozens of balls like this is almost impossible. I only have one spoon after all.
I was practically resigned to elimination as I lowered the spoon.
Kacha─!
The balls that were heading toward me cleanly split in half in mid-air.
Then the other balls began to tear apart one by one.
Kacha─!
When the last ball was gone, a woman appeared in front of me.
“Phew… Glad I didn’t miss.”
“Arna. How did you…?”
Arna came to save me.
Wasn’t she still fighting Seo Dan-ah? Did she finish so quickly?
Still, there was no need for her to push herself just to come to my location. She could’ve chosen to abandon me.
But here she came to find me.
Why?
“You said it yourself on the first day of the training…”
“…”
“Together, let’s survive until the end.”
Arna smiled faintly.
“I’m the hero, so I came to keep that promise.”
