After the final exams had completely ended,
Lee Soo-dok gathered all of Class 3 and held the last homeroom session of the semester.
He looked around the room before speaking.
“Your expressions don’t look good. I assume you’re not satisfied with your exam scores.”
Just as he said, aside from our team, the disciplinary committee, and maybe one or two other teams, most of the students looked grim.
They probably didn’t even manage to secure the minimum score.
Breaking through the control room was one thing.
We had collected a total of sixteen cheese boxes.
Including the ones we had handed over to Mo Yong-jun, that number went up to twenty-six.
That also meant that many teams had been eliminated.
It was a structure where a tiny fraction of top-ranking students took most of the rewards.
Some seemed to harbor dissatisfaction over this, but Lee Soo-dok remained unfazed.
“Let me be clear. The practical evaluations at Dragon Slayer Academy have always been conducted this way since its founding, and they will continue to be. If any of you were expecting that to change, you’d better give up that hope now.”
“…….”
The purpose of Dragon Slayer Academy’s establishment was to cultivate future heroes.
Just as strong heroes were treated well, it was only natural for students with high grades to claim the majority of the rewards.
“If there’s one piece of good news and bad news, it’s that the current top students won’t stay at the top forever. Depending on your efforts, you could rise up, or you could fall behind.”
“……!”
Hearing those words, the students’ expressions hardened with newfound determination.
“If you experienced failure during the final exams, use this as a stepping stone to push yourself even further. As soon as the second semester begins, you will face duel battles.”
He also mentioned that a tournament was scheduled, so no one should neglect their training just because it was vacation. With that, Lee Soo-dok wrapped up the homeroom session.
Before leaving, he briefly glanced in my direction, as if to say:
– I’ll be watching to see what you do in the second semester.
***
As soon as Lee Soo-dok left, Seo Ye-in tugged at my sleeve.
“Let’s go.”
“You want to leave right away?”
“Mhmm.”
“That’s unusually enthusiastic of you.”
“Come over to my house.”
Her gray eyes sparkled with excitement.
She seemed eager to take me to her place as soon as possible.
To be fair, it had already been over a month since Ahn Jeong-mi first brought up the idea, so she had been waiting a long time.
Go Hyeon-woo who was watching from nearby chuckled in amusement.
“Looks like you’re heading out immediately.”
“I was planning to rest for a day, but leaving early isn’t a bad idea either.”
“I see. Hope you have a great time.”
“Yeah, you too. Enjoy your break.”
I firmly told him not to come see us off, and then we headed to the platform in time for the train.
The platform was relatively quiet.
Compared to the entrance ceremony, when it had been packed with students, the crowd was barely a fraction of that.
Well, this is practically the first train out.
Most students wouldn’t leave Dungeon Island as soon as the semester ended like we were.
They would probably take a few days to rest or hang out in the city before heading home.
Some will even stay behind.
Like Go Hyeon-woo, for example. He was someone who planned to spend the entire break holed up in the training center, dedicating himself solely to training.
Just as his master had once said, even the time spent traveling was too precious to waste.
There were also those involved in clubs who had tasks to prepare in advance, such as second-semester events or collaborations with other clubs.
For executives like Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so, they were bound to be even busier.
Anyway, the fewer people, the better.
The quieter it was, the more stress-free and comfortable the trip would be.
Sure enough, with fewer people around, the queue moved quickly, and we were able to board the train in no time.
The cabins were just as empty, so we simply picked a spot at random and went inside.
Before long, we found a four-person cabin, just like the one we had when we first came to the school.
“Shall we go in?”
“Mhmm.”
Seo Ye-in gave a small nod, slid open the door with a clatter, and stepped inside.
She took a seat by the window.
Naturally, I moved toward the window seat opposite hers, but then she patted the spot beside her.
“Here.”
“You want me to sit there?”
“Mhmm.”
“Is that really necessary?”
“It is.”
“Why?”
She answered in an utterly confident tone.
“Because I want to.”
“Fair enough.”
To me, it didn’t really matter where I sat.
It wasn’t a big deal, so I might as well grant her wish.
As soon as I sat down beside her, Seo Ye-in’s body slowly leaned over, and before I knew it, she rested her head against my shoulder.
“What’s this about?”
“Kim Ho pillow.”
“So that’s why you wanted me to sit here.”
“Makes it easier to fall asleep.”
Her eyelids drooped slightly as if she were already drifting off.
But there was one thing I needed to remind her of, so I leaned in and whispered near her ear.
“I think you’re forgetting something… The Kim Ho pillow comes with a time limit.”
“How much time do I have left?”
“You’re already in the negatives. You use it whenever you get the chance.”
“…Crisis.”
Her drooping eyelids fluttered open again.
Seo Ye-in rummaged through her inventory and pulled out a shopping bag.
Inside, there were several neatly packaged bags of cookies. She took one out and held it toward me, making an offer.
“…An extension?”
“Are you trying to buy me off with cookies?”
“Can’t I?”
“I’ll allow it. Only on the train. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Seo Ye-in nodded without hesitation, then rested her head against the Kim Ho pillow and closed her eyes.
She would probably be asleep in no time.
Should I try one?
I unwrapped the package and took out a cookie.
The moment I took a bite, my face stiffened.
Why is this so spicy?
Did Hong Yeon-hwa make these?
***
A worn-down, shabby room.
At its center stood a lone bathtub.
The bathtub was filled with pitch-black liquid, so still and undisturbed that it reflected the face of anyone looking down at it.
Both the tub and the dark liquid inside seemed like they would remain that way forever.
But then, all of a sudden, the bathtub trembled violently as if an earthquake had struck.
The ripples in the black liquid grew larger and larger….until something in the shape of a woman abruptly emerged from inside.
“Kuh—haah—!”
The Witch of Corruption gasped and started coughing up both the black liquid and her breath at the same time.
I failed…!
She had infiltrated Dungeon Island and scattered Dark Ooblecks everywhere to spread chaos.
Then, after laying traps throughout the Teleportation Labyrinth, she had planned to lure in the academy’s elites and pick them off one by one.
But in the final moment, everything fell apart.
Because of him…!
A first-year with an insufferable glare.
She recalled the sight of him wildly swinging some tree branch.
Caaa—aaaw—!
Then, portals burst open one after another like sprouting bamboo shoots, and the academy’s scattered elites whom she had painstakingly driven apart were suddenly gathered in one place.
On top of that, whatever skill they had used rendered her poison, which was her main weapon, completely ineffective.
Realizing she had no other choice, she took the risk and went after him. But as if he had anticipated her every move, he effortlessly dodged and even launched a counterattack.
In the end, the clone she had poured most of her strength into was destroyed, and she barely managed to escape with her life. Only to awaken here now.
The Witch of Corruption tried to gauge her remaining power.
10%? 20%?
Compared to her prime, it was pitifully weak.
She couldn’t even begin to estimate how long it would take to recover.
Before long, skeletons dressed as butlers and maids appeared. With their support, the Witch of Corruption rose from the bathtub.
Though her body trembled uncontrollably like a brittle leaf in the wind and she swayed with every step, she forced herself to move forward, one step at a time.
“I… I must see my master….”
Even in this wretched state, she had to fulfill her duty to the very end.
As she walked on, an endless darkness unfolded before her eyes.
It was like a night sky devoid of stars or a bottomless abyss deep underground.
Nearby, three human-like figures stood, though she hadn’t noticed when they had appeared.
They were none other than the other witches. The commanders of the legion.
Upon seeing her, each of them spoke.
“Oh my, look at our dear Corruption. She’s in quite a state.”
“You marched in so confidently… and look at you now.”
“I told you I should have gone instead.”
At first glance, their words sounded like concern, but their voices dripped with ridicule and contempt.
The Witch of Corruption gritted her teeth as she endured the humiliation and knelt before the darkness before her.
“I… have returned, my master….”
Beyond the darkness, a deep heavy silence lingered for a long time.
Then, at some point, an overwhelming presence filled the air, and the other witches, without hesitation, dropped to their knees and bowed their heads.
There was nothing to be seen, yet they knew.
Their master was watching.
Sure enough, a weighty voice resounded.
[Speak.]
The Witch of Corruption projected everything she had witnessed and experienced into a vision, displaying it above her head.
At the same time, she meticulously reported every detail of what had transpired at Dragon Slayer Academy.
“—S-So, that first year is dangerous. We must cut the problem at its root before he grows any stronger.”
But the only response she received was one of utter indifference.
[You disturbed my rest… over something so trivial?]
“H-However! I speak only out of sincere concern—”
[Return to your place.]
Crack!
In the next instant, something huge came crashing down, crushing the Witch of Corruption beneath it.
It appeared to be the front limb of a reptilian creature, but it was so decayed and rotted that its bones were visible through the disintegrating flesh.
From where the witch had been crushed, a black liquid seeped out, only to be completely absorbed by the reptilian limb.
[I will sleep.]
With those final words, the voice faded and before long, both the monstrous limb and the oppressive presence vanished without a trace.
Only then did the remaining witches lift their heads and exchange words among themselves.
“So… that’s the end of Corruption, huh?”
“Defeated by a mere first-year? Now that’s hilarious.”
Of course, they weren’t just mocking the Witch of Corruption.
Having lived as witches for countless years, they possessed enough wisdom to think things through.
“Still, wouldn’t it be wise to investigate?”
“To be honest, I do have a bad feeling about this.”
“If Corruption was that insistent, maybe there’s something to it.”
“And after watching that vision… that kid’s eyes are sharp. Mean-looking, even.”
“Kind of my type, though.”
“?”
“?”
“…Anyway, if there’s even the slightest chance he could be a threat, we should eliminate him now.”
“So… who’s going?”
The three witches exchanged glances.
Next, a short witch raised her hand.
“Me! I’ll go!”
“Depletion?”
“Mhmm!”
The Witch of Depletion beamed with a bright smile.
The other witches exchanged curious glances.
“That’s unexpected. Just looking for an excuse to go outside?”
“Mhmm, it’s break time right now, so I figured I’d wander around a bit and maybe join in around the second semester.”
“Well, that makes sense.”
Of course, everyone present knew the truth.
The Witch of Depletion wouldn’t simply be wandering around.
Given her personality, if something like a magic tower or a martial sect caught her eye, she’d waste no time charging in and tearing it apart.
But she wasn’t the only one getting ready to leave.
The Witch of Exhaustion tilted her head and asked,
“Where are you going, Death?”
The Witch of Death flashed a subtle smile and replied,
“I’m thinking of poking around the Hye-seong Group.”
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