Chapter 92: Final Exam (3)

Choi Seol-Ah’s pupils dilated in sheer astonishment.

It wasn’t a metaphor; she literally felt as if her heart had collapsed. With a pale face, she opened her mouth, stammering.

“He-he… H-hello, guys! I’m Instructor Kim, and I’m in charge of your team for this final exam. It’s just for a day, but let’s work well together!”

At Joaquin Academy, Choi Seol-Ah was known as Instructor Kim. However, that wasn’t her real name.

When one signs a contract with a corps commander, they completely surrender their humanity—including their human name.

“……”

A piercing gaze struck Choi Seol-Ah’s face. It was Kang Geom-Ma, silently watching her.

Rachel, noticing Geom-Ma’s blatant stare, began to show signs of hostility in her eyes. She misinterpreted his gaze.

‘He has a thing for older women.’

Even though he was tall like a wooden post, without a single remotely feminine trait in his figure, Kang Geom-Ma couldn’t take his eyes off her. His pupils even held a peculiar emotion.

Due to the misunderstanding caused by the situation, the atmosphere grew as cold as ice as time passed. It was as if a live drama scene of jealousy was unfolding.

Choi Seol-Ah tried to ignore the stares, but her body and tone of voice became rigid.

‘Of all the teams, why did I have to be assigned to this lunatic… no, this knight in shining madness?’

She complained to herself, careful not to let any insults slip into her thoughts for fear that they might show on her face.

Kang Geom-Ma’s cold, composed eyes seemed to read her mind. His black pupils were completely devoid of emotion. A single exchange of glances was enough to fill her with dread.

‘Hah… No matter what, I have to do my job.’

Hiding her unease, Choi Seol-Ah opened her mouth again.

“Ah! As beautiful as I am, guys, don’t stare at me so boldly like that, or I’ll start blushing!”

“Beautiful? Ha, sure, you look like a purple pumpkin,” Rachel scoffed sarcastically.

Veins bulged on Choi Seol-Ah’s temples, though she maintained a smile.

The attitude of this rich brat toward an instructor was disgraceful.

“Hmm… Just because you have some extra fat on your chest doesn’t mean you’re pretty, right, radish-head girl?”

“You bitch!”

Rachel shot a furious glare, while Choi Seol-Ah responded with a mocking smile.

“What kind of manners are those when speaking to a celestial instructor, huh?”

“What? Celestial, my ass! With that flat chest like a stone slab!”

“Oh, for God’s sake. Are you really this dumb? Did you forget why I’m here with you? I’m your assigned instructor, which means I also grade your performance. Don’t cause trouble, and make sure you don’t tank the entire team’s score. Keep your mouth shut, and you’ve already won half the battle.”

“……”

After five years working at the academy, Choi Seol-Ah had learned how to handle arrogant students from prestigious families.

‘Responsibility collective.’

Rachel lifted her eyes and glared at Choi Seol-Ah. It looked like she was grinding her molars, as if chewing on something bitter.

Regardless, Choi Seol-Ah simply smiled and gathered the armed forces. In that moment, she felt a taste of the power that had vanished with her master’s death.

Ding⎯ Ding⎯

The bell rang loudly. The sound came from the iron bell hanging high on the special building.

Soon, the massive door, which had remained firmly shut, opened with a sinister creak. A dark abyss stretched beyond the entrance.

The cadets fell silent as the resonance of magical power seeped through the gap in the door. Their eyes were filled with anxiety.

However, a strong fragrance lingered on Choi Seol-Ah’s face. This was the moment when you first experience what it’s like to visit your parents’ home after living with your in-laws. The corners of her lips curled up naturally.

“Alright, shall we go!?”

Choi Seol-Ah took the lead with enthusiasm.

Kang Geom-Ma followed with his hands in his pockets, while Rachel and San Ha-na flanked him on either side, like wings.

***

“Wow, are you okay?”

“Damn it, slow down! Weren’t you supposed to watch from the back? What kind of instructor takes the lead?!”

Choi Seol-Ah, who was walking in front, let out an exclamation.

Rachel, lagging behind, yelled at her. Her steps were heavy, as if she were dragging her feet.

“Hahaha, outside you acted like a beast, but the moment you step in, you’re speechless? You’re not ‘hard on the outside, soft on the inside’—it’s the complete opposite!”

“Ugh… if we make it out of here, you’re really going to die.”

Choi Seol-Ah ignored Rachel’s irritation, her eyes shining like a child on a picnic.

For someone like her, a villain, this eerie atmosphere might have felt like home.

Being half-human and half-demon, her affinity for magic should have been much higher than that of an ordinary human. But now, had only traces of her magical power remained?

When Choi Seol-Ah was assigned as an instructor, I thought there might be some kind of scheme. Though she’s a bit of an idiot, she’s still a villain.

But there was nothing in her eyes except attachment to life. As for anything suspicious… well, she didn’t seem particularly concerned about anything.

‘Does selling your humanity make you simpler?’

Either way, even if she had bad intentions, Choi Seol-Ah alone wasn’t a significant threat. And if I sensed anything strange, I would simply let her taste the blade again.

I shifted my gaze away from Choi Seol-Ah and observed the surroundings.

“This definitely isn’t normal.”

Just past the curtain of darkness, a peculiar landscape appeared. Trees, rocks, and streams were evenly scattered.

It was a completely desolate landscape, with a grayish hue where all traces of green vegetation had long faded. And with every step I took on the pebble-covered ground, the crunching sound echoed beneath my feet. If Earth were ever destroyed, it would probably look like this.

‘If this is a scaled-down version of hell, how terrible must Gehenna be?’

The air was thick and acrid, filling my chest with an uncomfortable sensation. It was likely the effect of residual magic.

Though it wasn’t as intense as when I encountered Agor or the Demon Siren, the atmosphere was heavy enough to make my skin prickle.

In fact, ever since we entered the special building, Rachel had been speaking less. Her face was pale, a clear sign that the air wasn’t good. The body could be trained, but the inside couldn’t be strengthened.

On the other hand, Senior Ha-Na was simply moving her legs in silence. I asked her,

“How do you feel?”

“I’m holding up so far, but it’s definitely exhausting… Geom-Ma, you seem fine.”

“I’m not completely fine, but my skin does sting a little.”

“I feel like I could throw up any second, but for you, it’s just a little itch, huh… hahaha.”

Senior Ha-Na let out a weak laugh. Though her laughter was light, she seemed exhausted, her knees trembling slightly.

‘…It looks like Senior Ha-Na doesn’t have much affinity with magic.’

Among the club members, she’s the one I have the most doubts about. I haven’t completely ruled out the possibility that she could be a villain infiltrator, like Choi Seol-Ah, but her reaction doesn’t seem like an act.

‘I’ll keep an eye on her a little longer.’

I glanced at Senior Ha-Na briefly before turning my gaze back ahead.

All that stretched before us was a desolate, grayish forest with no markings whatsoever. I had no idea where the first checkpoint might be.

Moreover, it seemed like the dispersed magical energy in the air was interfering with our sense of direction, making us walk in circles. As proof, there were footprints on the gravel path that seemed to be our own.

I never expected it to be easy, but at this rate, even an hour wouldn’t be enough.

No direction, no location, no knowledge of the terrain… Nothing was clear in this situation.

‘If we keep going like this, we’ll be disqualified.’

Would it help if we all put our heads together to come up with a solution? Rachel, usually as wild as a stallion, was drenched in sweat. While Senior Ha-Na was faring slightly better, she wasn’t in peak condition either.

Of the entire team, I was the only one maintaining composure. Had I become resistant to magical energy after everything I’d been through? In any case, it wasn’t the most urgent problem, so I decided to set it aside for now.

Since Rachel wasn’t fulfilling her role as leader, at some point, I had naturally taken on the role of acting leader. It was already annoying enough to be the club president, and now I had to take charge of this final exam too…

However, I couldn’t just take this lightly and keep moving forward aimlessly. I was curious about what kind of reward we would receive for this exam. The academy had a habit of offering grand rewards in exchange for difficult trials.

“Hmm…”

I wanted to use the sensory perception of the Blessing of the Sword God, but without my sashimi, my detection ability was significantly weakened. I considered pressuring Choi Seol-Ah to take it from her.

However, that was a clear reason for disqualification. I wouldn’t hesitate if I were alone, but there were two pairs of eyes watching. I swallowed the regret that had risen to the tip of my tongue.

Even so, staying here and going in circles wasn’t an option either. As a Korean, I was used to doing everything quickly and efficiently. As I continued walking, I lost myself in thought.

Isn’t there a more effective and quicker solution? A simple and efficient method.

‘If only I could detect magical energy…’

I kept muttering those two words: magical energy and detection.

It felt like I was on the verge of finding an answer, but I hadn’t quite grasped it yet.

……!

At that moment, an electric sensation ran from my left temple and out through the right.

I lifted my head. I met Choi Seol-Ah’s gaze as she hummed a tune with a carefree expression.

Choi Seol-Ah flinched and, after a brief pause, scratched her neck with a nervous laugh.

‘I found it.’

I recalled a scene I had seen on the news.

Dogs detecting drugs at the airport.

I smiled at Choi Seol-Ah.

Her shoulders began to tremble, as if she had sensed the fate awaiting her.

***

At the same time.

Step, step.

The team, led by Leon, was crossing the vast plain. Behind him walked two women showing clear signs of exhaustion: Saki Ryozo and Erio Pine, a second-year student from the Wolf Class.

Following closely behind them, like a shadow, was an instructor with a friendly face.

“I think we’re close to the first checkpoint.”

Leon, leading the group, turned around and waved casually.

Unlike his teammates, whose faces were pale from fatigue, his expression held a bright smile. Ryozo could barely control her breathing as she stared at him.

‘…Does this guy never get tired?’

The air was so thick that every breath made her lungs burn, yet Leon’s face was full of vitality.

She knew he was a candidate selected to be a hero, but even in this place, which resembled a cursed land, he seemed completely unscathed—like he was in his element.

“Hey… Leader… Can we rest a little?”

Erio Pine placed her hands on her knees as she spoke. Her pink hair brushed against her shoulders as she bent forward. Her breathing was irregular and labored.

Leon blinked a few times before responding with a fresh smile.

“We’re almost there, Senior Erio. Just a little more.”

“…Ah.”

Erio let out a weak sigh, lowered her head, and slowly nodded. Seeing this, Ryozo immediately frowned.

“Hey, Leon.”

“Hm? What is it?”

Leon tilted his head in curiosity. His eyes reflected a complete lack of awareness of the situation.

Saki, her frown deepening, snapped in frustration.

“What the hell are you doing? Senior Erio is exhausted from trying to keep up with you!”

“Huh? So what?”

“What do you mean, ‘so what’?! Don’t you realize how selfish you’re being?”

Leon stared at her, as if her words didn’t affect him in the slightest. His voice was dry, almost mechanical.

“It’s not that I want to ignore Senior Erio’s opinion, but as the leader, I have a mission to complete and a responsibility to uphold.”

“Responsibility? To me, it just looks like you’re playing around, acting like a boss just because you have the leader’s armband.”

“Ryozo, you’re free to interpret my words however you want. But I have no intention of dragging along those who don’t trust me.”

“…What?”

“I don’t know what kind of environment you have in your exploration club, but if you expect me to be like Kang Geom-Ma, you’d better forget it.”

Saki’s face darkened instantly, and her voice rose into a shout. It was only for a fleeting moment, but her sharp archer’s eyes didn’t miss the change in Leon’s gaze.

The moment he mentioned Kang Geom-Ma, an eerie chill flickered in his eyes.

There it was. A clear trace of hostility toward him.

“Why the hell are you bringing up Kang Geom-Ma here?!”

“It doesn’t mean anything in particular. I just meant that I’m not as considerate as he is.”

“Damn…!”

Without even a hint of emotion on his face, Leon resumed his march.

Saki’s furious voice crashed against his back, but he didn’t even bother to turn around.

“What kind of idiot is this?!”

Saki glared daggers at his back, but Erio, her face pale, gave a weak smile and kept walking.

Noticing that anger still lingered in Saki’s eyes, the instructor following them spoke in a calm voice.

“Now, now. It’s normal for young people to argue as they grow. Besides, in a place like this, the pressure of being a leader must be immense. Let’s try to endure it a little longer.”

“……”

Saki still looked dissatisfied, but in the end, she let out a long sigh.

‘I’m already exhausted… wasting energy here would be pointless.’

Finally, she nodded silently. The instructor responded with a serene smile.

With that, Saki resumed her march.

Step, step.

The sound of their footsteps echoed over the gray gravel.

The instructor watched them walk for a long while.

“Hmmm.”

His murmur carried an ambiguous tone, and a disturbing glint flickered in his eyes.

“…A hero with the ability to detect magical energy, huh?”

With a dark expression, the instructor narrowed his eyes, exuding an ominous aura.