Chapter 105: Exam Over

“Do whatever the fuck you want, you motherfucker.”

Omega was taken aback by the audible provocation. He wasn’t even angry.

He only found the desperate struggle amusing, a smirk playing on his lips.

I don’t know how long it’s been since someone cursed at me to my face.

Surprisingly, this guy wasn’t driven mad by fear.

His eyes were alive. His mind was sound.

Those facts stimulated Omega’s bad habit.

A sadistic malice to break anything upright boiled within him.

He wouldn’t be satisfied until he crushed such people and watched them recant their beliefs with their own mouths.

Hex had told him to refrain from using Hex as much as possible because it wasn’t efficient, but Omega had no intention of giving up the privilege of the strong.

“Hhh… Brat. This body has decided your future.”

“Bullshit.”

Rohan kicked off the ground and lunged at Omega.

He quickly passed by Ichinose and Noa, who were still immobilized and retching.

Whoosh!

Flames erupted from the Long sword.

Like waves crashing against rocks, flames surged and engulfed Omega.

However, the feedback was terrible. Rohan, who swung the sword, knew it.

The blade isn’t going in at all.

His wrist ached. It felt like it would break if he applied even a little bit of wrong force.

Still, he didn’t hesitate.

He swung again.

The trajectory of the sword was blocked by Omega’s thick neck.

The way he sneered, moving his mangled face and mechanical jaw, was chilling.

“What can you do with such a weak sword and Flames?”

“…”

Rohan knew that his actions had entered a mind game.

He had to make Omega interested in him, keep his eyes fixed on him.

He had to provoke Omega, make him want to torment him.

He couldn’t let Omega think about sending a sample to Hex with the worm he had waiting in the back.

The same goes for me. I can’t look towards my friends. I just have to pretend to be crazy and keep attacking. That’s the only way this will work.

He didn’t need to win with force.

If Juyeon arrived, it would be his victory, and his role would be over.

Instructor will definitely come.

He believed it. He believed that Juyeon would arrive on time.

That was the kind of person she was.

Someone he couldn’t help but respect.

So my role is…!

Even if he burns everything and turns to ashes.

To maximize the golden time so that Juyeon’s arrival wouldn’t be too late.

Clang—!!!

The Supply Long Sword shattered with a metallic shriek. Half of the blade spun away.

Even so, Rohan continued to swing the sword.

“I’m getting bored.”

Omega stood still, taking Rohan’s swordsmanship head-on.

Scoffing at Rohan’s sweating and struggling, he opened his mouth.

“Brat. Do you know? There are some Poisons that are particularly good at causing pain.”

“Haa!”

Rohan didn’t answer and continued his assault.

Even half a sword was still a weapon.

“Among the deadliest Poisons, some are so potent that even narcotic painkillers are useless. They won’t kill you, but they’ll make you wish you were dead.”

One of Omega’s fingers transformed into a thick centipede.

It was a clear gesture that he intended to inject such a Poison.

“Endure it. I trust you won’t beg for your life or death in a few seconds like a coward.”

It was a Poison that Hex had further processed at his request.

It induced unbearable pain. In Omega’s experience, there was nothing better for torture.

Even those with the most noble willpower had broken under this Poison.

Splat!

Omega’s octopus leg grabbed Rohan.

The broken sword fell to the dirt with a thud.

“Now, it’s injection time. Would you like to beg for your life now?”

Omega chuckled and met Rohan’s eyes, but he immediately had to erase his smile.

“Idiot.”

Because there was no trace of fear in Rohan’s eyes.

At this point, he wondered if Rohan was a natural-born madman.

“…Interesting. I hope you maintain that arrogant attitude for a long time.”

The centipede’s sharp teeth spread like pincers and then bit into the nape of Rohan’s neck.

Rohan’s eyes flashed as he felt the liquid seep in.

“Ro, Rohan!”

“Ugh! Damn it, move…!”

Ichinose and Noa struggled on the ground.

They tried desperately to move, but the Poison had already entered Rohan’s body.

“!!!”

A fast-acting drug.

The Poison took effect as soon as it was administered.

Rohan’s teeth gritted together with enough force to shatter them.

His whole body tensed as he tried to endure the pain, causing blood vessels to burst in his eyes.

Every breath felt like his lungs were being sliced.

“Hahaha!!! How does it feel? Try babbling like you did before.”

Omega threw Rohan to the ground with his octopus leg.

He couldn’t stand. He writhed on the ground.

Unable to move freely due to the pain that seemed to tear and burn his whole body.

He was certain that having a knife twisted in his guts would hurt less.

“Heh heh, little one. Do you want the antidote?”

“Haa…! Ugh, haa…!”

The fact that he didn’t know how long it would take for the pain to subside.

It was a definite factor that amplified his fear.

“Show me your attitude if you want to be freed.”

Rohan, raising his head, showed bloodshot eyes.

Dripping with cold sweat, he slowly opened his mouth.

He conveyed his voice in a clear form to Omega, who was concentrating with anticipation.

“Fuck… you…”

A single phrase that flowed with difficulty from Rohan’s mouth.

At the words completely different from what he expected, Omega’s expression hardened.

“…It’s been a while since I’ve met someone so interesting.”

Even though they seemed to have no one to rely on, as if they knew that submitting would satisfy him.

They absolutely refused to yield.

Looking at Rohan, who was clinging to his consciousness even while drooling on the floor.

Omega recalled the conversation he had with Hex.

─ Omega. This poison is a compound extracted from the immune system of Monsters.

─ What do you mean?

─ As you requested, I modified it to inflict only pain. It doesn’t affect blood clotting or synapses…

─ Stop. Make it simple.

─ Ha… It’s a poison that inflicts pain far greater than the burning pain of the whole body being on Fire. Got it? It’s powerful enough to cause shock even to a Mana-reinforced body, but there’s no death due to the poison’s toxicity.

The more Omega mulled over that day’s conversation with Hex.

The more he felt his head heating up.

It was not him crawling on the ground like a bug, but he was gripped by an unknown sense of defeat.

This bastard…

A mere greenhorn, yet he endured with his eyes wide open what he himself couldn’t.

An attitude as if reproaching him, who couldn’t bear it and developed a trauma to Flames.

Their very existence provokes anger.

I’ll make you scream.

The octopus tentacles picked Rohan up again.

He fixes his head to confirm his pain-stricken face.

Then.

“Kick…!”

He smiled at him. Dripping tears and saliva, he formed a sneering curve with his lips.

Incredibly, it looked like a provocation to do more.

Smiling?

It was an act that Rohan intentionally displayed, recognizing his role.

But this gave Omega a completely different feeling.

It was not fanning the flames of his anger, or being gripped by a competitive spirit to break them somehow.

Omega felt a sudden chill.

He became infinitely cold. His expression erased the emotion of anger and turned cold.

…I have to kill him.

He had a gut feeling that he needed to nip this nameless stubborn weed in the bud here and now.

Even if it meant breaking his promise with Hex, he decided to cut his lifeline here.

This guy was a disturbing flame in a different sense from Juyeon.

If he didn’t extinguish it now, this ember would turn into a huge conflagration and return to them.

Just what is this guy…

Incredibly, he had the conviction that this cadet’s blade would reach ‘that person.’

An imagination that never formed no matter what powerful person in the world he substituted, was clearly drawn.

“You were born in the wrong era.”

But now, one of his fingers was enough.

Just as Omega stopped playing around and was about to pierce a hole in his head with his finger.

“!?”

Cutting through the restraints, he sensed an intense flame aiming for his neck, a power that reminded him of a nightmare.

Omega withdrew his outstretched hand and focused on defense.

Kwaaang───!!!

With Juyeon’s hand strike, Omega crashed into the worm behind him.

The octopus tentacles were cut off cleanly, freeing Rohan.

Red hair fluttered, wrapping around Rohan.

“Instructor… I, ugh, I’m okay… Haa!”

As Rohan, with his messed-up face, conveyed with difficulty that his life wasn’t in danger.

Juyeon couldn’t utter a word and bit her lower lip tightly.

“Ins, Instructor…!”

“Please save Rohan and Corin!”

The two girls shouted as if frustrated that they still couldn’t move.

Juyeon lifted one foot from her position.

Kooong!

As Juyeon stomped the ground with her Mana-infused foot.

The fear that had settled upon the girls cleanly vanished. Freedom returned to their limbs.

“…”

Juyeon carefully placed Rohan on the ground and watched the spot where Omega had flown.

Her eyes, as she stared at the enemy, were expressionless as usual.

Nevertheless, a burning rage could be felt.

Anyone could see that she was truly angry.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

Treading on the flesh of the worm that had burst with one blow, Omega revealed himself unharmed.

Juyeon, watching the familiar opponent, transmitted in a low voice.

“The exam is over. Take care of Rohan and Corin and withdraw.”

Declaration of the end of the Practical Exam.

A translucent window appeared in front of Rohan, who had endured with only the hope that Juyeon would come.