Chapter 88 – Words Without Legs (3)

Yoo Yeonha couldn’t decide whether to fight or run. She confidently entered the room, but didn’t expect to meet such a powerful enemy.

“…”

Kim Hajin stood still, unaware of her worries. His relaxed demeanor made Yoo Yeonha even more nervous. She couldn’t meet his gaze. This was the first time she ever felt like this. Suddenly, Kim Hajin raised his hand. In reality, he only tried to scratch his neck.

“Stay, stay away!”

However, Yoo Yeonha shouted without knowing this. Kim Hajin stared at her and dropped his hand. He already held his gun. Not the Desert Eagle, but the training handgun that had still destroyed Kim Horak’s qi reinforcement.

“…”

Kim Hajin raised his gun as Yoo Yeonha felt the sweat flowing down her face. First, she calmly examined her surroundings. It would be difficult to escape his gun because of the narrow, straight hallway behind her. She only had two choices: to fight or lose.

Yoo Yeonha looked at the whip in her hand. Then she suddenly thought of something.

Perhaps this is my chance to confirm his skills. My estimate only comes from observation. I should be able to glimpse his real power if we fight.

However, she also had a more cowardly thought.

I’ll likely be the first one eliminated if we fight. I don’t want that, but struggling for my life doesn’t suit me either. It’s not because I hate the pain.

Yoo Yeonha weighed her options and sighed. She opened her eyes with determination and glared at Kim Hajin. Then she swung her whip. It moved like an extension of her limb and grabbed the gun.

Shweeek!

She snatched it away and stared at the gun as it fell into her hand.

“I, I did it! Ha, haha!”

I never thought I’d succeed! Ahahaha!

Yoo Yeonha proudly laughed. Maybe this person isn’t so amazing after all!

“Even if it’s you, without a weapon…”

The gun instantly flew back into Kim Hajin’s hand.

“Ah, aah! W-Where are you going!”

Yoo Yeonha tried to grab the gun in midair, but Kim Hajin retrieved it with the aether wire he secretly shot out. The aether wire appeared invisible unless someone imbued their eyes with magic power. Yoo Yeonha guessed that Kim Hajin’s magic power had caused this phenomenon.

“…”

The smile on her face quickly disappeared. She grew even more nervous than before and could only endure whatever came next since she made the first move. Yoo Yeonha swallowed hard.

“Haa.”

Kim Hajin sighed and aimed as Yoo Yeonha shuddered. Her mind blanked in front of the steel muzzle.

How should I dodge? Will it hurt? Maybe I can dodge it?

All sorts of thoughts flashed in her head, but Kim Hajin didn’t fire. He smirked and holstered his gun.

What?

Then he walked up and tapped her shoulder as she stood in a daze.

“It’s still early, so let’s take it easy.”

Kim Hajin left after murmuring incomprehensible words. Yoo Yeonha watched him in confusion.

***

“Argh, it still hurts.”

My right wrist felt sore. Yoo Yeonha’s whip only lightly grazed me, but it tore my skin and turned it red. My bones would’ve broke if she directly hit me. As I thought, Yoo Yeonha was quite strong.

“Sigh, what a relief.”

I safely bluffed my way past Yoo Yeonha and entered the fourth floor lobby. It looked huge, but sounded too quiet. I couldn’t hear any voices or notice any presence. What’s going on? Did everyone leave? I turned on my smartwatch.

All cadets in the mock artifact scramble wore life-detection devices. They accurately measured every cadet’s HP and eliminated those who received critical damage. My smartwatch connected to my laptop, so I could check everyone’s coordinates. Ten cadets remained on this floor, including me and Yoo Yeonha. Six of these ten already formed teams.

“Tomer…”

I checked Tomer’s coordinates and found her in a bathroom on the seventh floor. She planned on killing time there and showed no signs of movement. I also grew curious about the other cadets. A fight broke out on the third floor above me, but Chae Nayun and Rachel had yet to meet.

The fifth floor lobby contained a match that anyone would want to see. Shin Jonghak faced off against Kim Suho as the two cadets represented their respective teams.

— I knew this day would come, Kim Suho.

Shin Jonghak muttered in a serious tone.

— …

Kim Suho remained silent.

— Come. I’ll show you the difference between us.

Kim Suho pulled out his sword and attacked first. He charged in and swung as Shin Jonghak stepped back to block. Sparks flashed as they utilized the strengths and weaknesses of their weapons.

Someone suddenly shot past me towards the stairs. Stomp, stomp, stomp— I glanced up and spotted Yoo Yeonha running away faster than anyone I’d ever seen.

“Oh right.”

I snapped back to reality thanks to Yoo Yeonha. I didn’t have the time to leisurely watch this marvelous match. I headed to the emergency stairs instead of the central lobby staircase to avoid any enemies.

***

“I, I surrender!”

A male cadet shouted in front of Chae Nayun’s sword. He became blind again the moment he surrendered and would be transported to the elimination lounge.

“Whew, that was easy.”

Chae Nayun proudly murmured as she wiped her sweat. She already had three kills.

“It’s only been three months since I switched to a sword, but I’m already this strong. I must be talented.”

Chae Nayun surged with confidence as someone shouted.

“Nayun!”

Chae Nayun turned and spotted Yi Jiyoon wearing a white uniform.

“Whew, thank god.”

Yi Jiyoon clung to Chae Nayun and sighed in relief.

“Did you hide this entire time?”

A supporter like Yi Jiyoon couldn’t fight alone. An attack-focused supporter like Yoo Yeonha could shine depending on the situation, but Yi Jiyoon served as a pure supporter.

“No, I managed to defeat someone with my debuffs.”

“Oh, that’s good. Anyways, it’s nice to see you.”

Chae Nayun welcomed her since Yi Jiyoon could strengthen warriors. She provided various physical buffs that turned them even more superhuman.

“Ahh, I thought I would die.”

Yi Jiyoon finally calmed down and suddenly recalled something.

“Oh yeah, Rachel’s on this floor.”

“Rachel?” Chae Nayun’s eyes widened.

“Yeah, she surprised me! I barely managed to escape since I ran the moment I saw her.”

Stomp, stomp, stomp— Someone came up from the stairs.

“Wait.”

They nervously looked at the staircase. Yi Jiyoon held up her bow as Chae Nayun pointed her sword. However, Yoo Yeonha showed up and belonged to the same team. She sighed in relief when she saw them. Chae Nayun tilted her head.

“Yoo Yeonha, why are you sweating so much?”

“Huh? Uh, it’s nothing.”

Yoo Yeonha looked haggard and unlike her usual self.

“Who’s downstairs?” Chae Nayun asked.

“Kim Hajin,” Yoo Yeonha softly replied.

"Kim Hajin?" Yi Jiyoon and Chae Nayun both exclaimed.

“Un.”

“Oh, then he must be eliminated,” Yi Jiyoon innocently said. Yoo Yeonha shook her head with a bitter smile.

“No, he didn’t get eliminated.”

However, I almost did. Yoo Yeonha couldn’t continue out of embarrassment.

“Really?”

Chae Nayun scratched her cheek and pretending not to care. Then she casually asked.

“So, uh, what’s he doing?”

“I don’t know,” Yoo Yeonha half-heartedly replied, but then Yi Jiyoon smiled.

“Maybe he’s looking for Rachel?”

Chae Nayun tilted her head at the remark. “Eh? Why Rachel?”

“Because Kim Hajin likes Rachel.”

“Huh?”

Both Chae Nayun and Yoo Yeonha looked confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“Eh? The both of you didn’t know?”

“K-Know what? What about Kim Hajin?” Chae Nayun stuttered as she asked.

“You don’t know? I thought everyone heard the rumors by now.”

“Then it’s just a stupid, groundless rumor.”

Yoo Yeonha firmly spoke. She could care less right now when the mock artifact scramble held a great weight over their grades.

“Anyways, did any of you find the artifacts?”

“Ah, yeah, I found one from an NPC on my way here.”

Yi Jiyoon took out a small box from her pocket. Yoo Yeonha’s face lit up.

“I’m glad. Let’s take this to the first floor.”

“Yeah.”

“And Yi Jiyoon, you’re mistaken. That rumor probably spread because Kim Hajin and Rachel are on the same team.”

Yoo Yeonha felt the need to correct her.

Arrows suddenly rained down while Chae Nayun murmured to herself. Yoo Yeonha swung her whip to defend against them.

“Who is it!” Chae Nayun shouted. The ambush irritated her even though Yoo Yeonha had blocked all the arrows. The three of them turned towards the balcony and spotted Rachel with other cadets from Team Black.

“Rachel! How dare you ambush us like cowards!”

Chae Nayun roared as Rachel calmly unsheathed her rapier.

“I’m going in.”

The members from Team Black all moved as Rachel spoke.