episode_0032

Yoo Seong-hyun appears in an instant, exchanges days with Ji-hoon, and then disappears.

Sojung belatedly runs to Jihoon and asks.

“Yoo Seonghyun…Yoo Seonghyun is the hunter, right?”

“How did you know?”

“You know because it’s famous! It’s strange that you don’t know. But why does the person who was running away suddenly come looking for you? Because of Lim Han-young and Yoo So-young?”

“No…give me Igzel’s heart”

“What? Do you have that? why? You left it there back then”

“I received it because I kept asking for it…and there’s something I need to look into. What CEO Lee said… Anyway, it’s better that I have it”

“What do you need to know? What did you say? Why do you take that! There’s no need to use it anyway! It’s obvious that it’ll be dangerous if you keep it -”

As soon as Sojeong starts nagging, Jihoon quickly moves away and avoids it.

He completely understands Sojung, who doesn’t stop talking once she starts.

Jihoon approaches Yujeong and Suyeong

“He… he used his healing skills well, right?”

“Uh…the wounds must have healed…I think I fainted from shock because of the pain.”

The floor where Seungjun lay was covered with his blood.

“Hey, come here”

Ji-hoon calls out to Min-hyuk, who was stuck in a corner watching.

“Is he hurt anywhere? Just take it back to where you came from, okay?”

Minhyuk nods his head vigorously at Jihoon’s words.

I guess it was because Ji-hoon was stabbing Seung-jun here and there with a Tanghulu skewer and seeing blood pouring out of his body… Min-hyuk could only nod without making eye contact with Ji-hoon.

As Minhyuk lifts Seungjun up and leaves, Jihoon also takes a step.

Ji-hoon walks down the street alone after leaving So-jeong, Yu-jeong, and Su-yeong and gathers his thoughts.

‘An A-class hunter who uses the same high-speed movement skills as me… The heart of Igzel he is aiming for…’

Jihoon clearly saw it in his match with Yoo Seonghyeon earlier.

When he stabbed the Tanghulu skewer with his energy, Seonghyeon Yoo’s skill to avoid him was clearly the same high-speed movement skill as his own.

Judging by the speed at which he created a wormhole for movement and the amount of magic power spewed out, it could be seen that he was much more adept at using high-speed movement skills than he was.

‘By any chance… has he also experienced side effects?’

If Seonghyeon Yoo had experience moving to another dimension, he might have more information about skills than he did.

Ji-hoon opens the note that Seong-hyeon Yoo left behind.

A note containing only a brief address.

Jihoon grabs him again.

A small hope arises that maybe he can get one step closer to Yeonhwa, who is waiting for him in another world.

***

a week later

Dalianjang, where the second quarterly evaluation test takes place.

Although the sparring stadium was not enough compared to the enormous virtual gate simulation field, it still boasted a larger area than most gymnastics stadiums.

Cadets from classes 4 to 11 sitting in the audience waiting for the exam.

Although hundreds of people were gathered, their eyes were focused on one place.

“Ji…Jihoon”

“Huh?”

Suyeong said she was grateful for the hot dog she brought last time and prepared a sandwich.

Jihoon takes a big bite and chews it hard.

“I think everyone is only looking at us…”

“Is that so?”

Jihoon looks around without paying attention

They sit in the audience and check out the whispering mouths and the countless gazes that are really directed at them.

“Oh, that’s right”

Jihoon adjusts his posture again and eats the sandwich as if it’s no big deal.

Suyeong was fidgeting because she was uncomfortable with so much attention.

“Isn’t the 8th squad the shortest record in academy history?”

“Well…it really made no sense…”

“But it’s class 11? What is he really?”

“Wouldn’t that healer next to me have incredible healing skills and buffs?”

“That’s right, probably…both of them are in class 11…isn’t this a deception?”

Sooyoung is attracting attention because of her fight with Jihoon.

Her evaluation was also sky-high.

Sooyoung doesn’t know what to do when a whispering voice reaches her ears.

“Jihoon…I put myself on you for no reason-”

“Your role in this exam is very important”

“Huh?”

Ji-hoon asks, taking Soo-yeong’s words away.

“The virtual gate test only measured damage by converting it into data, right? There will be actual damage in this test. So healers are really important.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. Instead of thinking about useless things, you need to use your skills just like last time, no, more accurately and quickly than last time. Got it?”

“Uh…yes! Okay, I’ll work hard!”

” Getting hit by the virtual goblins didn’t affect my movements at all, but if I take real damage, I might not be able to keep pushing until the end like I did before ”

“Ah! It really must be so… Just trust me!”

Ji-hoon notices that Su-young is timid and cheers her up.

If you were to be evaluated as a team rather than as an individual anyway, it was natural to take care of your team members as well.

Jihoon made a fuss that wasn’t even possible and mustered up a bit of willpower.

Jihoon reminds me of Sojeong’s words, where he said that contribution according to each position’s role rather than wins or losses is an important evaluation factor.

‘Well… there’s no harm in referring to it, but I have no intention of losing.’

Jihoon was aiming for the highest score in both team performance and individual evaluation.

For nearly a month, Jihoon visited the library separately from class and eagerly read books related to movement skills and gates.

As an academy library, it was possible to access information that ordinary people would not be able to see, but for some reason, the level of information that Jihoon wanted was not visible.

Access to special libraries given only to upper class cadets.

And high-quality professors from A to S levels.

Jihoon made the excuse that he wanted to receive a high subsidy, but in fact, his goal was to be placed in a higher class for the above reasons.

“Jihoon, that guy over there fought with you last time…”

When I shifted my gaze to Sooyoung’s words, Seungjun Choi’s team was on stage.

They are considered one of the best teams in Class 4, and their majestic appearance stands out.

For some reason, only team leader Seungjun Choi’s shoulders seemed to have shrunk a little…

The opposing team was a team of 9 cadets from Class 10.

Uuuu

Although there was no sound announcing the start, Seungjun’s hands held a whip created with magical power.

“What…what’s wrong”

“So… your eyes are a bit…”

The Class 10 team members who are dealing with Choi Seung-jun’s team are taken aback by Seung-jun’s strange behavior.

He has shrunken shoulders and a somewhat anxious expression.

However, the sight of him activating his magic in advance before the start of sparring was like a child looking for a place to vent his anger.

“Seungjun…not yet…”

Seung-jun’s teammate, Kim Seo-young, sees his momentum and stops him.

A few days ago, ever since he went out with Minhyuk and came back, his condition had been very unstable.

Even when I ask what happened, there is no answer.

I just repeat being madly angry and afraid again.

The previously rational and calm team leader was nowhere to be seen.

It was a quarterly evaluation among cadets from classes 4 to 11.

It was natural to get the highest score without difficulty.

However, Seoyoung felt increasingly anxious as she looked at Seungjun’s changed state.

Bleep-

A horn sounds to signal the start.

Seungjun’s team members follow the strategy they had planned early on.

The tank at the front and the healer at the back. And the magic classes that assist the healer on both sides.

It was a perfect formation with no gaps.

Except for one place

“Ugh!!!!! Die!!!!”

It was Seungjun’s sudden move that was completely unplanned.

Seungjun ignores the battle lines and runs out with the magic whips in both hands released.

Hehehe

The 10th class cadets were startled by his sudden movement and showed off their tanking skills.

There were three tankers on the team who showed off their tanking skills, but it was meaningless.

Seungjun’s guard and skills are shattered by a single whip swung with anger.

“Ugh.”

“Gasp…Gasp.. What’s wrong with that!”

“Ugh!”

Seungjun’s whip, which struck down all the tanks in front, soon expanded endlessly, sweeping even the magic cadets behind him.

“Ugh…”

“Ugh…”

Seungjun’s teammates just stand back and watch this situation.

Seungjun’s frantic whipping continues for several minutes, and the sparring ends.

[Choi Seungjun’s team wins]

A victory message appeared on the large screen, but neither the team members nor the audience cheered.

“Hey, what are you crazy? If this is going to happen, why do we have team sparring!”

“Are you just trying to get points? Do you think you’ll get good scores like this?”

Seungjun’s excited teammates raise their voices and criticize him.

But Seungjun just looks at the audience without saying anything.

Jihoon makes eye contact with Seungjun and smiles brightly and waves.

When Seungjun makes eye contact with him, he trembles and leaves the place.

“Why is he acting like that? Really…”

Seung-jun’s remaining team members follow him and move to their positions.

“Wow, it’s scary”

Jihoon, who was watching, spoke jokingly, and Sooyoung smiled slightly.

His words and actions, which seemed somewhat light, now seemed to have somehow become a reassuring force for her.

“Huh? Let’s go next. Let’s go”

Sooyoung follows Jihoon’s words and changes position.

[2 games]

Class 11 Kang Ji-hoon / Class 11 Han Su-young

The next sparring opponents that appear on the electronic display board

VS

Class 6 Seong Chang-hoon / Class 6 Kim Yun-hee / Class 6 Kang Woo-hyun / Class 6 Kim So-young / Class 7 Kim Se-hyun / Class 8 Yoon Jin-hee

“Huh?”

A slight smile appears on Jihoon’s lips.