Thanks to the urgent request, I will be able to receive the new spoon by next week.
Although there was an additional fee, being able to receive it before the test is still a good thing. Right now, we are in a situation where we need to pay extra to retrieve the spoon as soon as possible.
Anyway.
The spoon issue seems to be roughly resolved, so now it’s time to find a partner. I need a comrade to roll around the battlefield with me during this practical evaluation.
As I mentioned last time, my goal is solely victory in the simulated battle. Individual performances aren’t that important. As long as I pass, that’s all that matters.
There’s a risk of further injuring myself if I exert myself unnecessarily to chase after points. I’m already in the hospital, so I can’t afford to get hurt anymore.
That’s an inconvenience to Choi Soo-eun, who is taking care of me.
As a result, the ideal partner I’m looking for is someone significantly stronger than me. Even more so, I need someone incredibly powerful. Someone who can easily crush simulated battles.
Unluckily, my first choice, Arna, was taken by that ragpicker Baek Joo-hee. In that case, I have no choice but to look for my second option.
Fortunately, there is someone I have in mind. Not quite at Arna’s level, but an incredibly strong friend who can easily carry me along.
“Exhale! One more for the last time!”
In order to meet this friend, I personally came all the way to the fitness room.
Because it was the afternoon, the fitness room was bustling with people. From those doing aerobic exercises to students lifting weights, even the faces of the PT trainers could be seen.
Personally, it’s not a place I particularly like. Since I’m also quite distant from the iron life.
“More slowly! Your leg is coming down too fast! Rest for 30 seconds and do one more set!”
I don’t know if this is a gym or a training center. Everyone was fervently focused on their exercises as if in combat. For us health newbies, this intimidating atmosphere was enough to break our spirit.
It was almost like a dungeon.
“Alright, good. Your muscle mass has increased more than last week. Now, you just need to do basic weight lifting.”
Luckily, this place didn’t only have a bunch of gym equipment. There was also a lounge-like space in the corner. Tables, a water dispenser, and a large sofa caught my eye.
“Starting next week, we focus on flexibility exercises.”
Just as I was observing, combat division instructor Geum Gye-jun was there in the lounge. As always, he was wearing his Giants uniform.
He was guiding students’ exercise direction while looking at their body composition test sheets.
“Hmm?”
In the midst of this, Geum Gye-jun noticed me passing by. When everyone else was dressed in workout gear, and I was the only one in a uniform, it was inevitable that I would catch his attention.
“Oh, isn’t that Shin Yoon-seong. It’s the first time I’ve seen you here in the fitness room. Are you here to work out too? If so, this trainer is ready to….”
“Just briefly looking for someone.”
I detest working out in itself, let alone having Geum Gye-jun as my personal trainer? Hell is surely about to open. That was the feeling I got when I was hit by a ‘Penggu’ during the last training.
I might feel more at ease fighting monsters than exercising with this guy.
He’s a character that needs cautious handling. That man, Geum Gye-jun.
“Well then, I’ll be going ahead.”
I decided to leave before Geum Gye-jun could say more. If I lingered, there was a real chance of being caught.
As I mentioned before, this place is pretty much a dungeon. I need to stay alert.
“Alright, finish with 5 sets of ab exercises!”
I passed the lounge and moved further inside. This area didn’t have any weight machines. The only equipment was barbells and dumbbells.
Hence, it was pretty empty.
Except for one person.
“….”
Finally, I found him. My partner.
Maybe preparing for the upcoming practical evaluation, he was working out extremely intensely. He was doing squats alone with a barbell.
Every time he put the barbell down on the floor, the ground shook as if there was an earthquake. That was how heavy the barbell was.
I couldn’t even lift anything close to that.
“Rashid.”
I called out his name during one of his short rests.
First-year combat division student Rashid Belkalem.
“….”
Rashid silently turned his head and looked at me. The man with a bronze complexion and thick lips made a deep impression.
However, what most characterized Rashid Belkalem was undoubtedly his monstrous muscles.
Standing over 2 meters tall with a thick build, his presence was quite intimidating. Just making eye contact with him made my skin crawl.
It was like seeing a lineman from an American football game. If I got tackled by that bulk, there’d be no bones or organs left intact.
“Let’s have a quick chat.”
“…”
Rashid nodded once and grabbed the barbell again. His way of indicating that he would continue his workout while we talked.
He was quite the silent type, fitting for his massive build.
“I heard you haven’t found a partner yet.”
There was no need for a long explanation. I decided to get straight to the point. For your reference, Rashid is also a student taking the <Strategy·Tactics Theory and Practical> course.
Rashid’s abilities have already been proven. There were his performances from the last physical test. He achieved incredible new records across all events. Even Arna couldn’t do that.
Also, he wasn’t just physically strong. His combat abilities were actually quite decent. I remember receiving help from Rashid a few times when we fought the monster Marquis.
He is undoubtedly an excellent Awakened being with no need for doubt. He will likely show good performance in this practical evaluation as well.
I’m trying to dip my toes into that ride.
Rashid completed another set of squats and put down the barbell. Finally, his tightly shut mouth opened.
“I. Don’t do. Evaluation.”
His deep voice matched his enormous build. Due to his lack of fluency in Korean, he spoke in broken sentences, enunciating each syllable.
Rashid, like it or not, seems to be a foreigner.
By the way…
“What do you mean ‘not doing the evaluation’?”
An unexpected response I hadn’t considered came out. Not taking the test at all? Then attending the class itself loses all meaning.
This is a first-time occurrence.
Did he misunderstand my words by any chance?
“I. Don’t do. Evaluation.”
Apparently not. Rashid repeated the same words again. It truly seemed like there was no intention of taking the exam.
“Why?”
I decided to ask for the reason. It can’t be just random; he must have his own circumstances for not wanting to take the evaluation.
Soon, Rashid spoke.
“I. Leave.”
“Leave? What do you mean by that?”
“The school.”
“Huh?”
Hearing those words, I perked my ears up and asked Rashid.
“Are you saying you’re dropping out now?”
“Yep.”
Rashid nodded at my question. He seemed to have his mind made up, with not a trace of hesitation in his reply.
“…” Rashid dropping out? This was totally unexpected. He was one of the few reliable people after Arna.
If Rashid leaves too, I might end up doing the practical evaluation with Moon Shin-chung.
I absolutely cannot let that happen. I can’t let go of my last lifeline.
“Rashid, you’re still a first-year, aren’t you? Isn’t it too early to consider quitting?”
“I. Do. Drop out.”
“At least, isn’t it a decision that should be made after spending at least a year here?”
“I. Do. Drop out.”
“Even just until next week, can’t we make an exception? Just finish the practical evaluation, and then…”
“I. Do. Drop out.”
“Do you not know how to say anything else?”
“I. Do. Drop out.”
“Fck you, you bastard.”
Rashid was like a robot, repeatedly giving the same answer. Even Shin Sim-mi wouldn’t respond this way.
Seriously, what’s wrong with this guy? He’s not normal either.
“Do you have any special reason for rushing the dropout?”
Hoping to catch at least a last straw, I asked Rashid. If it’s not a significant reason, I’ll stop him right there.
“I. Don’t want. To say.”
But Rashid refused to answer. What’s more, he started to leave by moving his thick legs.
Thud. Thud.
It seems there’s something he doesn’t want to tell others. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any reason for him to avoid me.
“Hmm…”
Seeing his reaction, an unwarranted urge to meddle began to rise within me. Like when I teased Arna, a sudden itch to disrupt things emerged. So that he can’t leave the school.
“Let’s go together.”
I immediately decided to chase after Rashid.
Harassing someone is my specialty.
I decided to put that skill into action.
───
Combat: A-7
Clear Time: 00:17:42
* Second-Year Combat Division, Arna Kristin Dotir
───
“Hmph…”
The indoor training center. Arna had just finished a simulation fight and stepped out of the Sync Room.
Afterwards, she checked her combat record on her tablet.
“The time has been shortened by two more minutes compared to last time.”
The original record of 19 minutes she held was already the shortest time in this school. And now, she set a new record again.
Arna was showing a terrifying growth rate day by day.
If this continues, there should be no major issues in completing this practical evaluation.
“Well, next up is…”
Arna decided not to stop there and moved onto the next fight. This time, she chose a simpler combat as a way to wrap things up.
“Simulation battle, you say? Not bad. If it’s okay, can I join?”
At that moment, Arna inadvertently furrowed her brows, hearing an all-too-familiar male voice enter her ears.
This familiar voice belonged to Shin Yoon-seong, who had come to the indoor training center to interfere with Arna.
He was truly a persistent man. She had to give him a sharp warning.
Arna quickly turned her back.
“Why should someone like me…! Wait…?”
But she stopped mid-sentence. Upon closer inspection, Shin Yoon-seong was quite far away. Moreover, the words from earlier weren’t directed at her but at someone else.
To someone else.
“Doing it alone. I do.”
“Don’t do that and let’s team up. Anyway, since next week is the practical evaluation, we should be practicing to sync up.”
“I. Don’t. Take the test. I already said so earlier.”
Upon hearing it, it seemed Shin Yoon-seong was chasing after Rashid. Apparently, he planned to pair up with Rashid for this practical evaluation.
“Isn’t it weird for someone who won’t take the test to come to the training center? Body and words are separate, aren’t they?”
“It’s simple. Just warming up. Stop misunderstanding.”
It didn’t look easy though. Rashid kept avoiding Shin Yoon-seong. On the contrary, Shin Yoon-seong continued trying to narrow the distance that was widening.
“Get out of the Sync Room.”
“Nope. I’m here to train too. But there’s no other room left.”
“Then. I. Leave.”
“Don’t be so stingy.”
Seeing Shin Yoon-seong cling to someone else was unexpected. It was quite a rare scene. Wasn’t this something he usually did only with Arna?
“Should we start with A-7, just to practice lightly? They’ve set a new record today.”
But Shin Yoon-seong had no attention for Arna right now. Even though Arna was right in front of him, he wasn’t showing much interest.
In fact, Shin Yoon-seong didn’t even realize that Arna was in the indoor training center.
“Truly, this suits me fine.”
Literally speaking, it was.
It was an extremely good piece of news for Arna. How much trouble had she gone through due to Shin Yoon-seong all this time? Finally, it was the moment of liberation from the demon Shin Yoon-seong.
She was free at last.
“…”
But why? It wasn’t as gratifying as she had thought. Arna couldn’t feel any joy at all.
Instead,
It was an uncomfortable feeling in her chest.
Something made her feel downcast.
