Chapter 113 : Chapter 113
Chapter 113: Final Exams (5)
Rainy season area.
The one who entered the cave was Jin-ho.
Behind him, Jun-seok, Chang-ho, and the Model student entered the cave.
“Jin-ho.”
Ye-na, who was drying her body, discovered Jin-ho and welcomed him gladly.
Ye-na jumped up from her seat.
Jin-ho, who had entered, also waved his hand and smiled.
“How did you know we were here?”
“I didn’t find you knowing you were here. I was going around the rainy season area to find our classmates, and since there was a cave, I thought you might be here.”
“Why the classmates?”
“Because there is a place I want to raid together.”
“Raid, you say……?”
Ye-na’s pupils shook.
It seemed even more so because they had just finished agreeing with the team members to hide and stay safe here.
Come to think of it.
There was something she missed while talking to Jin-ho out of gladness.
Ye-na shifted her gaze to her fellow team members sitting gathered in front of the fire.
“…….”
“…….”
Anxious eyes.
Darkened expressions.
Unlike herself, tension hovered over the team members’ faces.
At that moment.
‘From now on, all other teams are enemies.’
‘View them as barbarians or other races.’
‘You can steal food.’
Before the test started, Yoo Jin's voice filled their heads.
Ye-na’s expression sank.
Wariness.
They are afraid.
These children.
At the appearance of Jin-ho and the other children.
And at the word 'raid' that came out of Jin-ho’s mouth.
Because these children were not ones who shone brightly in combat fields.
And Ye-na knew better than anyone that these were children she wanted to finish the test safely with inside here.
Ye-na’s gaze capturing the children sank coldly.
Whether he knew Ye-na’s heart or not, Jin-ho poured out his story.
“In Zone A where we were, the Supreme King was eating pork belly.”
“Supreme King?”
“Pork belly?”
The expressions of the children gathered in front of the fire changed moment by moment.
At the sweet temptation called pork belly, and at that word which dyes one in fear just by hearing the name, Supreme King.
Pork belly?
Just thinking about it makes one’s mouth water.
Furthermore, they were soaked in rain, and having only one rice roll as food, it was a food that compared too greatly.
Seeing the fire in front of them, it filled their heads so much that saliva pooled in their mouths.
However.
Who is the Supreme King.
He is a Returnee.
They know his power even better.
Because they confirmed his power at the swimming pool not long ago.
No matter how different he was from what they saw on television, and even if he played with them at the swimming pool.
Without Teacher Yoo Jin, he was not an opponent the students could win against with their strength alone.
“Pork belly is pork belly, but there is no way Teacher Yoo jin dragged the Supreme King into the test without any meaning. There must be something he hopes for.”
Jin-ho’s voice echoed inside the cave.
And silence followed.
“…….”
Only then did Jin-ho realize he was the only one talking, and only then.
The children’s faces entered his vision.
Sunken expressions.
He knows them well.
Those expressions.
Because they were the expressions he used to make the most before meeting Yoo jin.
Jin-ho’s mouth hardened into a straight line.
Expressions of giving up.
The children seemed to have set their minds that this was a safe zone.
And Jin-ho realized they wanted to finish the test here.
Ye-na’s mouth opened.
“We finished talking just a moment ago. To just endure here. Until the test ends.”
“…….”
“We concluded that we aren’t short on food. And we judged that we could even get some sleep if it’s this place.”
“…….”
Ye-na’s low voice continued.
Although there was clearly enough room to interrupt, Jin-ho did not spit out any words.
“Since this test isn’t about hunting many monsters or showing outstanding performance compared to other teams. The situation is being trapped in a dungeon. The biggest goal is to somehow endure a day within it and get out alive. And….”
Ye-na stopped speaking for a moment.
A voice that didn’t come out easily.
More strength was applied to her clenched fists.
Only then could Ye-na continue her words with difficulty.
“Since it’s a team battle. Teacher Yoo Jin also said he would have team members evaluate each other after the test ends. So I cannot act arbitrarily. As the leader of this team, I have to protect our team.”
A firm voice.
The refusal was sufficient.
So Jin-ho couldn’t say any words.
Then.
Jun-seok and Chang-ho, who were watching quietly from the back, stepped forward.
“Ye-na, it’s pork belly, pork belly.”
“Of course, fighting Mister Supreme King is scary. But would he kill us?”
She knows.
Of course, Ye-na herself too.
Not necessarily the pork belly.
The intention of Teacher Yoo jin who placed the Supreme King there.
And Jin-ho’s heart, who realized that meaning before she did and came all the way here to find friends.
“I know. The Teacher Yoo Jin I’ve seen for months wouldn’t have just placed Mister Supreme King there without any thought. I know that well too.”
“Then why are you saying you won’t go together?”
“As Jin-ho came, he said other classmates are classmates too, but he absolutely had to find Ye-na.”
Ye-na’s pupils shook.
Through her gaze, she saw Jin-ho keeping his mouth shut without saying anything.
Press.
Ye-na’s lips, which had been moving slightly, pressed shut tight.
She wants to go.
Teacher Yoo jin who saved her.
She also knew well that there was no way he would place the Supreme King there without any thought.
If she were in the exact same situation as Jin-ho, she thought she would have gone to find Jin-ho too.
However.
Through Ye-na’s gaze, the children of the same team were seen.
These children might not be.
He said it was a team.
He said she was the leader.
It didn’t seem right for only herself to drop out either.
She knows that.
She knows it well…….
At Jin-ho’s appearance of sparing his words until the end, Ye-na’s resolve was shaking.
“…….”
He came all this way to find her.
He didn’t insist even once.
He didn’t force it.
After telling his story for the first time.
When she showed an intention of refusal that wasn't in her heart, Jin-ho spared his words.
That was too much.
Too much…….
Swish!
Ye-na, who was contemplating deeply, turned her body toward the team members.
“We just decided to spend the day here, so I’m sorry to say this. I know well that it’s shameless. But I want to go. However, I can’t ask you to go together. Because I’m afraid it would become coercion to you.”
The pupils of the children in front of the fire shook.
“There is no guarantee that test scores will be higher just because we go and raid him. So I can’t ask you to go together. Since the goal of the finals is surviving, staying here might be the better choice, but…….”
While Ye-na’s trembling voice filled the cave.
The children there couldn’t say any words.
Because her sincerity filled the cave.
“But…… I…… I…….”
When only Ye-na’s echo and a whirlwind of emotions were filling the cave.
At that moment.
“Why are you talking in such a roundabout way?”
A cool guy appeared.
“Isn’t it obvious to choose pork belly over rice roll? Let’s go, everyone, to have a pork belly party.”
Kang Tae-wook was standing there.
***
Sparring Room No. 7.
“When did he gather all the kids?”
Lee Si-wang said while looking at the large screen.
“That guy Kang Tae-wook went around gathering other children even before Jin-ho moved.”
Through Yoo Jin's gaze, Kang Tae-wook was seen leading the children inside the screen from the very front.
“Before fighting the barbarians… no. The twins and Seong-hyeon?”
“Right.”
“He didn’t even know the Supreme King was there?”
“It’s not because of the Supreme King. It seems that guy intended to do that from the beginning. That’s why he must have moved to another area as soon as he organized his own zone.”
“That’s fascinating. If he organized his own zone, it seems he would have gotten a perfect score even if he just spent the day there.”
“Do you think scores have any meaning to that guy?”
Short laughter burst out from Yoo jin’s mouth.
Lee Si-wang’s eyes, capturing that appearance, hardened into a straight line.
Scores…….
Who is Kang Tae-wook.
Anyway, 1st place is Kang Tae-wook.
Taewoon High’s top prospect.
A talent whom any place would kneel to recruit the moment he graduates.
The Ignis Guild was the same.
“You’re right. What relevance would scores have? Even though that guy is prickly. If he submitted an application to Ignis, even I would probably send a car immediately.”
Inside the screen contained in Yoo Jin's vision, Kang Tae-wook was saying something to the children.
That expression was.
“He has changed a lot. Perhaps even more than Jin-ho.”
Ice Prince.
A fox drunk on his parents' power.
A mask deceiving even himself.
And a created guy…….
Although he is still prickly and clumsy at revealing his emotions.
Kang Tae-wook.
That guy has definitely changed.
Sticking to being the overwhelming 1st place hasn’t changed, but.
Now, not Number One, but Only One.
And not alone…….
Wanting to be first place by everyone’s side.
What shows that clearly is.
Standing side by side with Jin-ho.
Grin.
A very satisfied smile formed on Yoo jin’s lips.
“Then shall we see? How our Golden Child will command the class?”
***
Although it took some amount of time.
All the Class A students gathered in one place.
That is to say.
Zone A.
In front of the Supreme King who was grilling pork belly.
“This is Sparta!”
“The meat belongs to the warriors! Let’s seize it!”
“Wooooah!”
Seong-hyeon and the twins shouted while standing at the very front with their shirts off.
The barbarian act of raising morale.
Kang Tae-wook shaking his head watching that appearance, and Jin-ho with a smile never leaving his lips as if finding something so enjoyable.
On their shoulders, tap.
Ye-na’s hand was placed.
“Then let’s go. We have to defeat the Demon King and have a pork belly party.”
Kang Tae-wook and Jin-ho showing sheepish smiles.
“Right.”
“When would we ever get to fight a monster like that.”
The Samurai was laughing while looking at the students.
***
Just one minute ago.
Right before the Class A students arrived.
The Samurai, Toshi, who sensed their presence, took the pork belly contained in the icebox and placed it on the grill.
And then.
He fixed his gaze toward a tree and spoke with interest.
“Big Brother. It seems the kids are coming.”
[I’m watching. The entire Class A has gathered and is coming.]
“As expected. They are Big Brother’s disciples.”
The Supreme King wore a faint smile.
“My heart is heating up.”
[Go easy.]
“Don’t worry, since I can’t kill the growing sprouts.”
[Still…… wouldn’t it be good to let them feel the wall to some extent? Only then will there be a reason for the kids to have gathered like that.]
“Don’t worry. I will do it just appropriately enough for the kids to be able to raid.”
Grin.
And the level of raiding he thought would be possible for the children was…….
.
.
.
“One hour. If you make my feet touching the ground move even a little within one hour, it is your victory.”
That was the only condition the Supreme King put forward to the children.