Chapter 16: Get away from my girl, if you want to get beaten up

Survival and Contention.

The name suggested surviving something while seizing something else.

The freshman ranking match couldn’t be that complicated.

Murmurs rippled through the examinees, speculating about the exam’s nature.

The instructor soon provided the answer.

“50 randomly selected individuals will enter these capsules and participate in a survival exercise. Each student will receive a marker. You may bring equipment you’ve crafted yourselves, along with items up to Rare grade. The longer you survive and the more markers you seize from others, the higher your score.”

Simple.

Survival and Contention, as the name suggested.

Survive longer, steal markers, get more points.

“If you become incapacitated or lose all your markers, you’re eliminated, receiving only half the points earned from collected markers. When only two remain, and 10 seconds elapse, the test ends, and both receive double survival points.”

This ensured even those unlucky enough to be eliminated immediately after a fight received some points and prevented the final two from stalling to farm survival points.

“If a marker isn’t picked up after an opponent’s elimination, it’s awarded to the last person who defeated them. Cooperation is allowed, so strategize to survive as long as possible. We will now select Group A for this round.”

The mention of “this round” implied multiple capsule rooms.

250 people couldn’t just twiddle their thumbs while 50 took the exam.

Cooperation being allowed added a strategic layer.

“Group A: Kim Si-woo, Jin Baek-ryong, Leona Bonaparte, Baek Seung-chul…”

Names were called.

Some caused a stir.

“Wow… Jin Baek-ryong is in the first group.”

Jin Baek-ryong…? I’d heard that name somewhere.

“The irregular genius who reached A-rank at 14?”

A similar level of achievement at a similar age to my Demonic Arts Academy days in my second life, where I trained relentlessly.

“Rumor has it he’ll reach S-rank soon… The winner’s already decided. Please, not Group A…”

Ah. The ten families with the greatest influence in the world.

Like Alice, Jin Baek-ryong was the heir to one of those families.

As the scion of the Jin family, the only top 10 family in Korea, he’d have received immense support from a young age.

Even so, aiming for S-rank at his age made him an anomaly.

“Cheon Ha-yeon, Uni Laher…”

Ha-yeon’s name was called.

“…Kim Yu-won.”

Finally, my name. Six of us in our group, six groups in total, and I ended up with Ha-yeon.

‘Unlucky.’

“Yu-won. I won’t go easy on you if we meet.”

‘Cooperation is allowed, why…?’

“Right. I’ll do my best too.”

I planned to get eliminated after a moderate effort.

I’d already aced the written exam; performing too well here might place me at the very top.

‘I’ll have to lose to Ha-yeon if I meet her.’

“Group A, please enter the capsules.”

Those called moved to their designated capsules.

I found the last one, opened the lid, and stepped inside, closing it behind me.

“Oh… It’s cleaner than I expected.”

It was my first time in a capsule, so I’d anticipated discomfort, but it was spacious and comfortable.

‘How does this work…?’

The instructor’s voice echoed from within the capsule.

-Please wear the goggles in front of you and press the red button on the right.

Considerate of first-time users.

I put on the goggles and pressed the button.

My consciousness faded.

“Wow… Jin Baek-ryong. He truly lives up to his name as the Jin family heir.”

Beatrice Academy instructors observed the ranking matches on a screen.

“Indeed. Baek Seung-chul, his current opponent, is from a renowned martial arts family and a top-tier B-rank, but he’s no match for him. He’s barely holding on with his tough physique.”

The exam arena was vast.

50 prospective students scattered throughout.

Jin Baek-ryong challenged everyone in sight, defeating them and collecting their markers.

“On the other side… That Cheon Ha-yeon girl is showing promise. Her power feels C-rank, but her technique is far beyond student level. Uh… I think she fights better than I do?”

Ha-yeon, despite diligent training for a week, hadn’t fully recovered.

She maintained C-rank strength for now.

Even so, she meticulously divided and utilized her limited power, defeating every student she encountered.

“She’s from a martial arts world, right? They start training from the age of three, so if she’s talented, she could surpass you.”

The other instructor nodded.

“Indeed… With her beauty and skill, she would’ve been famous if she weren’t from another world.”

Another instructor exclaimed, looking elsewhere.

“Whoa… What about him?”

“Huh? What?”

The instructor pointed at someone on the screen.

“Look at him. He hasn’t encountered anyone since the start of the exam. Zero combat records.”

The name “Kim Yu-won” was displayed beside the indicator.

“Eh? Is that possible? Even if it’s large and there are only 50 people…”

“It’s possible, that’s why I’m saying it. Jin Baek-ryong and Cheon Ha-yeon are wiping out everyone with one marker, so he might aim for a high rank with just one.”

Since losing with one marker counted as having zero, it wasn’t impossible.

“He’s incredibly lucky. Did he save the world in a past life or something?”

He did.

As the instructors chatted, observing the students, a figure appeared behind them.

An elderly man with white hair and a long white beard, reminiscent of an Italian philosopher.

“Is the exam proceeding smoothly?”

The instructors stood up and bowed deeply.

“Yes, sir. Everything is going according to plan.”

“Haha… There’s no need for such formality. Please, have a seat.”

The reason for their respect?

The old man was a member of the Jin family, one of the world’s top 10 families, a former chairman of the Hunter Association, briefly ranked number one among Korean S-rank Hunters, a living legend, and the principal of Beatrice Academy: Jin Baek-ho.

It was said that even the top-tier A-rank and S-rank instructors at the academy were there because they admired Jin Baek-ho’s character and achievements. He was a truly remarkable individual.

“Then we’ll sit.”

Unpretentious, kind, and generous to his subordinates, not a single instructor disliked him.

“From a quick glance, two individuals seem to stand out.”

“Yes, your nephew, Jin Baek-ryong, and Cheon Ha-yeon, the martial artist from another world, have eliminated most of the students and collected most of the markers.”

He watched his nephew with a pleased expression. Then, he noticed something peculiar.

“There’s a student who hasn’t engaged in combat yet…?”

“Yes. An extremely lucky student, accumulating survival points without encountering anyone. Uh… Now there are only three left.”

Cheon Ha-yeon, Jin Baek-ryong, and Kim Yu-won.

Only three remained in the arena.

“To be among the final three without a single encounter… What a lucky student…”

“Whether he’s lucky or the other students were unlucky remains to be seen.”

“Sir?”

As the principal spoke, Cheon Ha-yeon and Jin Baek-ryong met on screen and seemed to be conversing.

The instructors couldn’t hear the conversation. They could only guess from their lip movements.

“First snow…? Is he saying he’ll go to her like the first snow?”

An instructor tried to decipher Jin Baek-ryong’s words.

Just then, Kim Yu-won arrived.

“The three have met. Will the two who have been fighting consecutively target Kim Yu-won together? Or will they fight each other for the ranking, leaving the seemingly weakest one alone…?”

However, the situation unfolded differently.

“Huh…? Why is Kim Yu-won running towards Jin Baek-ryong?”

They were bewildered by the unexpected turn of events.

“Wow, this island is huge.”

I’d been wandering for a while without encountering anyone.

Pushing through the foliage, I finally spotted human figures and approached.

There, Ha-yeon, looking exhausted, faced Jin Baek-ryong, the heir to one of the top 10 families.

Seeing Ha-yeon, he blushed and spoke.

“I fell in love with you at first sight. I’ll give you all my markers, no, anything you desire. Please, go out with me.”

Snap

Something seemed to break. I had memories but no emotions.

At first, my wives had felt like strangers, figures from stories.

Spending time with them, some emotions had returned.

But whether it was love or pity for them having come so far for me, I couldn’t understand.

Confused, I’d chosen to keep a slight distance.

But what was this feeling now, bubbling within my chest? It felt like a blocked dam finally cracking.

The emotions I’d suppressed were regaining their color.

Yes, this burning sensation deep within me… was rage.

The same rage I’d felt when Ha-yeon was first in danger due to the righteous sects’ schemes, when the Martial Alliance Leader and the Shaolin monks tried to kill her.

That intense fury was returning.

In that instant, I became a bolt of lightning, charging towards Jin Baek-ryong.

Ink Lightning Divine Art – Lightning God Transformation.

Perhaps distracted by his confession, he was caught off guard.

Despite having enough time to react, he was struck by my fist and sent flying.

I glared down at him.

“Get away from my woman, unless you want to get beaten.”

I was pissed, for the first time in a long while.