episode_0016

017

Monsters.

The enemy of humanity.

The monstrous creatures that revealed themselves from the rift were spreading endless hostility towards humanity.

For the current humanity, monsters were an unimaginable nightmare.

And that nightmare finally unfolded its ugly mouth in the academy training ground.

“Kiiii, kiiii.”

“Krrrr, grr.”

Training Ground 4.

Two monsters appeared.

The Minotaur and the Black-Handed Long-Armed Ape, powerful monsters known for their strength.

The Minotaur boasted a height of 2.5m, with a appearance resembling a mix of a cow and a human.

With strength that could crush iron barehanded and durability to deflect bullets, there was practically no way to bring it down with personal weapons.

It was not a monster that Hong Daye, who retired due to injury, could easily defeat.

And the monsters were not just the Minotaur.

“Kiiii, ii, iii.”

Over there, a large ape with long arms hanging weakly, looking at the children with a hungry gaze.

The monster known as the Black-Handed Long-Armed Ape was also not to be underestimated.

While not as threatening as the Minotaur, if Hong Daye were to be overwhelmed, it would be difficult for her to handle it alone.

Especially since she was in a position where she had to protect the children behind her.

It was a disadvantageous situation in many ways.

“……Uh, um.”

Speaking of which, those monsters.

They look more terrifying and fierce than what I saw in games and videos, don’t they?

I mean, I watched a lot of videos on the internet and prepared myself mentally, but why do they look so fierce?

“I received intense training against major monsters in middle school… but real combat is indeed different.”

The sense of intimidation from the monsters faced during major monster training was on a completely different level.

If I hadn’t been prepared at all, I might have been really scared, right?

Of course, I’m still scared now.

I calmed my mind and looked outside the training ground.

Several monsters were causing chaos near the spectator seats.

While there were about ten monsters, they were not as threatening as the Minotaur and the Black-Handed Long-Armed Ape.

Therefore, security personnel who were on standby for emergencies were engaging the monsters and quickly evacuating the children.

Hong Daye surveyed the situation and said softly.

“…I will release the protective shield, so hurry and run towards the security personnel. I will distract the monsters.”

If it were the Hong Daye of her prime, it might have been different.

But as she is now, Hong Daye cannot face so many monsters.

Even if she were fully armed with specialized equipment, fighting without proper gear would be suicidal. Nevertheless, Hong Daye made a decision.

She was a hero before she became an instructor.

“I will now release the shield… Wait, what?”

However.

“Why did it have to malfunction now…!”

No way it would malfunction at this timing, it was the doing of that ‘villain’ who enrolled in this academy.

I already knew who he was and why he was doing this, but I didn’t intervene beforehand.

I couldn’t touch it now, and the future I knew could change.

Also, I wanted to give Jin Soyeon a firsthand experience.

The despair faced against powerful monsters.

…But I feel more scared.

This mental training is not just for Soyeon, but for me as well.

“Damn it.”

Hong Daye quietly cursed.

The moment I stepped forward, it felt like being trapped inside a training ground with the protective barrier still up.

Alongside two monsters.

“Don’t move from behind me,” Hong Daye said, as if trying to protect the children from Team 1 and Team 16, before using her psychic ability.

Her psychic ability was telekinesis.

Using the power of the mind, she could manipulate both inanimate objects and organic matter. In her prime, she was said to be powerful enough to even bring down buildings, but now…

“Ssshhh? Ummmm!”

“Damn it… Ugh.”

Even blocking one movement of the Minotaur seemed difficult.

If the Minotaur and the Black-Handed Gibbon started attacking together, Hong Daye wouldn’t last long.

“…I guess Hong Daye can’t handle this alone.”

That’s to be expected.

After all, this event was designed with the assumption of defeat.

It was what they called an Unwinnable Battle Event.

A common narrative device used in many games.

It was an event set up to instill fear and helplessness in the protagonist and showcase the strength and majesty of the enemy.

As the first appearance of a monster, it was an event designed to bring fear to the protagonist’s group and retire Hong Daye.

The clear goal of this event was simply survival.

If they could hold out for 10 minutes until the security team arrived, the event would end, but Hong Daye would be left with significant injuries and would likely spend some time in the hospital.

That meant they wouldn’t have Hong Daye’s help in the upcoming training camp episode.

“I can’t let Hong Daye retire here.”

They would need Hong Daye’s help in the episodes to come. So, they couldn’t afford to lose her here.

Of course, rushing in without a plan would be extremely dangerous.

With the level difference between the monsters and the protagonist’s group, led by Ishiwoon and Yooseolhyun, it could easily cost them their lives.

“But there must be a way.”

An event with a promised defeat.

But it was not an event that guaranteed defeat.

It would be more accurate to call it an event where you “usually” lose.

Of course, fighting them head-on wouldn’t bring them down, but with a little trickery, they could easily defeat them.

It was just that simple.

Well, if there hadn’t been such a way, would I have stood confidently in front of those monsters, claiming I was a normal person in my past life?

Okay, then should I tell the kids what to do now?

“Hey, kids, I have something to say…?”

Suddenly, I turned my gaze towards the kids. What was going on?

“Haa, haa, haa.”

“Ugh, ugh.”

“Hoo, hoo.”

They were all sweating profusely, panting heavily and shivering intermittently.

Ishiwoon, Yooseolhyun, Sunari, and Yuliyah Troianova all seemed to be struggling to catch their breath, their chests heaving sporadically.

Especially Jin Soyeon seemed to be in the worst condition.

She was trembling with a pale blue face.

Oh no. Why is she like this?

Hey, how can you, the female lead, be like this?

Even I, who was a normal person in my past life, am holding up.

Those monsters may have looked a bit scary, but isn’t this reaction a bit too much?

“…Oh. Could it be?”

One fact suddenly came to mind.

“Because of the aura?”

An aura that only I couldn’t feel.

The thought that there was some kind of aura setting in this world brushed past my mind. No, no. Wait a minute.

Even if that’s the case, really?

“No, damn it. In the game, it wasn’t like this, was it?”

In the game, it was pretty normal.

Even if reality and the game are different, isn’t this difference too extreme?

“I trusted you, Soyeon!”

It seems like I’m screwed.

No, no.

Let’s be more straightforward.

…I’m screwed.

***

Mon, monsters!

Monsters have appeared in the exam room.

Facing towards this monster, with its tongue sticking out and emitting a sticky, viscous flesh, the sight was pure terror.

Thump.

My body, my body is trembling uncontrollably. I can’t seem to calm down. Is it because of the aura, the aura that makes my body sway like a weeping willow? I can’t even steady my shaking body. I need to calm down, I need to.

“Ugh, it’s hard to breathe….”

It feels like I’m hyperventilating. Breathe slowly, breathe slowly.

Exposing herself to the intangible aura emanating from the monster, Jin Soyeon swallowed hard, clenching her lower lip tightly, the best she could do at the moment.

Such a sinister and blatant aura….

It seemed similar to the aura Hong Daye showed on the first day, but now it was a real situation unlike back then.

With her mind weakened by the aura, the thought that she might really die if she made a mistake swirled in her head, and her mind was engulfed in a darkness that grew darker and darker due to the overwhelming emotions.

“Ho, can Instructor Hong Daye….”

Despite Hong Daye’s fierce struggle, Jin Soyeon instinctively knew. She was falling behind.

The Minotaur is a notorious powerful monster.

It is a formidable enemy that can challenge dozens of heroes alone, requiring a team of several heroes to fight against.

But can Hong Daye alone face the Minotaur?

And what about the monkey monster?

“I need to help. I need to help….”

My body won’t listen.

Stiff as if nailed to the ground, or as stiff as an old tree bark.

She doesn’t have confidence in surviving in the fierce battle like a storm. She is weak. Just a mere trainee. Even Hong Daye, a high ranker, is struggling, so if she rashly steps in, she will die.

What should I do then?

Jin Soyeon threw endless questions in her mind. I can’t just sit here. I have to help the instructor. But is it okay? Am I not just foolishly getting in the way of the instructor? Maybe staying still is not helping? But the instructor might not last long….

In a series of questioning and answering in her mind.

Jin Soyeon bit her lower lip very hard between her teeth. To the point of bleeding.

All excuses. Just excuses.

It’s just that I didn’t have the courage.

She was trying to find reasons not to move.

Like a coward. She was disappointed in herself. A hero trainee? But when it comes to real combat, this is what happens?

Move, move.

If you are going to be a hero, don’t deceive yourself.

Finding excuses to convince herself is easy, but a hero should not compromise in the current situation. It’s not allowed.

“Haa, haa, hoo….”

She took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling heavily.

Although she had prepared herself, her trembling body, as if not her own, did not let go of Jin Soyeon’s steps.

To take the last step, she needed a little courage.

Small but great courage.

The courage to give herself confidence, to assure herself that moving now is right.

But in the end, Jin Soyeon could not muster the confidence, the courage.

Like a pitiful girl, unable to move forward any longer….

“Soyeon, are you okay?”

At that moment.

“Pull yourself together and try to breathe slowly.”

A clear voice woke Jin Soyeon from her daze, as if a ray of light had descended upon her head, which had been sinking into the thick darkness.

The confusing thoughts that had been swirling around suddenly cleared.

“…Huh?”

Jinhyuk, who had been looking at Jisoyeon with a slightly worried expression right in front of her, gently took her shoulders in his hands.

As the soft touch and warm heat from beyond her shoulders reached her, the heavy feeling that had been clinging to her slowly began to dissipate.

“Are you back to your senses?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Eyes.

His eyes are right in front of her.

Through his eyes, she sees the face of the girl reflected beyond them.

The sight of the girl glimpsed through his eyes reminded her of the past Jisoyeon.

That time, that day, the event that happened is something she could never forget.

Because a boy who came to her trembling in fear, endlessly begging for help, was the one who saved her.

– Are you okay?

“Are you really okay?”

That day. The girl thought. The boy who saved her was her own hero. At the same time, the girl dreamed. She wanted to become a hero like the boy.

“I’m fine, really.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

Jinhyuk let out a sigh and scanned his surroundings. The kids who had somewhat regained their composure were looking at him. It was a bit awkward to have everyone staring at him.

“Hmm. Alright, kids. Listen to me. We can’t just sit still like this. We have to help the instructor.”

“How?”

Yooseolhyun asked.

“Those monsters are not at a level that students can handle. And if you just rush in, you might just end up hindering the instructor.”

“Don’t worry.”

Jinhyuk nodded his head with a serious look in his eyes.

“I have a good plan.”

He wasn’t completely sure if it would work, but in a situation like this, he couldn’t show any hesitation.

Anyway… if things go wrong, he can always use ‘that’.

The fact that he had a solid backup plan gave Jinhyuk a bit of confidence and reassurance.

“So, can you help me, Soyeon?”

“Sure.”

Those confident eyes.

In the midst of this chaotic situation, his unwavering gaze and voice ignited a fire in her heart that had been frozen.

A small and yet immense courage.

“Yes… of course.”

A hero is someone who spreads hope in despair.

“Just tell me.”

From the past to the present, whenever I needed you, you were always there to help me.

“I trust you.”

So this time, let me help you.

“If it’s your plan.”

Now, she could take a step forward that had been halted.

He, who had given her the confidence she couldn’t find on her own, was the guiding light and the beacon illuminating her path.

***

“Huh. Oh, Soyeon seems to be in better shape than I thought?”

She was trembling with a pale face, so I thought she had completely lost it.

But she managed to snap out of it with a few words.

Anyway.

I’m glad, I’m really glad.