Episode 109: Final Exams (5)
“Does this one suit me? Or this one?”
Yu Serin stood in front of the mirror, holding up two outfits alternately and asking.
They were clothes she used to wear when she roamed the fields and battlefields—functional yet stylish.
Her secretary, with the usual expressionless face, pointed not to either outfit but to a dark-colored suit hanging on one side of the rack.
“Oh… that one…?”
What the secretary pointed to was her covert outfit.
It fit her best, but… it didn’t look great. It was a tight-fitting bodysuit in a deep purple color.
“That one’s a bit much…”
“Then the one on the right would be better. It’s a little less intimidating.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Yu Serin replied with a low chuckle.
Normally, she wouldn’t have paid any attention to an exam like this. But this time, she had unusually decided to participate directly as a proctor.
She picked out a dark charcoal gray coat from the rack again.
The smooth fabric flowed along her shoulders, the fitted cut hugged her slim waist—a sophisticated design, no matter how many times she looked at it.
“I’ll go with this one.”
The secretary nodded and added briefly to her words.
“You’ve made your decision, then.”
Yu Serin responded while shaking out the coat.
The secretary’s words weren’t just about her outfit—and Yu Serin knew that well.
She stared at the mirror for a moment, adjusted her collar, and smiled lightly.
“Yeah. Almost.”
She draped the carefully chosen coat over her arm.
The luxurious fabric brushed against her skin with every movement.
“But I can’t just walk out like this.”
The secretary slightly lowered her head.
Most of the people in the department, including the secretary, were Yoo Serin’s people.
If she were to walk out now, those left behind would be in an awkward position.
And Yu Serin was fully aware of that.
She quietly turned and showed her familiar smile.
“Don’t worry.”
Their eyes met.
“I’ll take responsibility for your futures before I leave.”
At some point, she had started speaking informally.
Not as Vice Guild Leader Yu Serin, but just as Yu Serin.
Perhaps like an older sister saying her final goodbye.
Her tone was soft, but within it was an oddly firm resolve.
“Breaking just to hold on… that’s not my style.”
She looked in the mirror once more.
With half anticipation, half fear,
She stepped forward into a new place.
***
In the main auditorium of Gaon, beneath the stage’s electronic display,
All eyes were fixed on that spot, as the announcer’s voice echoed.
“Team representatives, please come forward.”
Two people walked up to the stage.
The Blue Team’s representative: the odd-numbered rank #1, Kang Arin.
The White Team’s representative: the even-numbered rank #2, Yohan.
The traditional method was, of course, rock-paper-scissors.
“Rock… paper…”
Following the announcer’s cue, the two raised their hands.
“Scissors!”
With the final call, both extended their hands.
Kang Arin’s hand was clenched into a firm fist, while Yohan’s hand had two fingers extended.
“Wooooaaaahhhh!”
The Blue Team’s cheers filled the auditorium.
“Blue Team, will you attack first, or defend first?”
To the announcer’s question, Kang Arin stroked her chin with a thoughtful expression.
“Defense! Let’s start with defense!”
“No way, we should go on the offense first!”
Conflicting opinions broke out across the Blue Team.
I quietly crossed my arms and watched her.
…Whatever she picks, it won’t be a problem. Both have their merits.
If they start with defense, they can buy time.
They can accumulate points by defeating boss mobs before the attacking team comes in.
On the other hand, if they start with offense—
With full numbers, they can pressure the defense line and score early points.
In the end, it’s a matter of strategy.
After a brief moment of thought, Kang Arin lifted her head.
“I… choose defense.”
Kang Arin chose defense.
A large message appeared on the electronic display.
[Blue Team – Defense / White Team – Offense]
Right after that, the instructor’s guidance followed.
After the instructions—
“In 5 minutes, teleportation will begin. All students must wear their watches and stand in the designated positions.”
They called them “bells,” but in truth, they were just programs installed in the watches.
[TL Note: Changing bubble to bell because “Bang-ul (방울)” can mean both bell and bubble—I originally mistook it for bubble, but here it clearly means a bell-like alert system that rings when activated.]
Once an opponent is subdued and their watch is touched for a certain amount of time, it makes a ‘ding’ sound, and the bell is considered stolen.
I silently checked my watch.
A red border indicated the bell was active.
Above it, a countdown timer blinked.
Students around me began checking their equipment one by one.
“See you later.”
Cheon Yeoul spoke to me first.
“Yeah.”
I smiled and responded.
Beside her, Yoon Chae-ha also spoke softly.
She was next to me.
“You have to come there.”
The meeting spot was in front of the Heavenly Martial Hall.
We had promised to be there before the first offense-defense rotation ended.
“Got it.”
The girls soon headed to their positions.
Each walked into their designated teleportation circles scattered throughout the auditorium.
I checked my watch one last time and, without expression, walked to my teleportation spot.
A faint magic circle began to glow beneath my feet.
3 seconds.
2 seconds.
1 second.
Chiiik!
A light sliced across my vision, and the scenery around me tore apart as if ripped open.
When I opened my eyes, I looked around.
“…Ha.”
I let out a small laugh.
The place that had unfolded before me was the classroom where first-years had their lectures.
A teleportation technique that randomly transports over 500 students—probably only Gaon could manage that.
I carefully stood up. I had been sitting by the window, so I had a clear view of the entire classroom.
At that moment, I noticed someone sitting near the front door, in the corner of the classroom.
And then our eyes met.
He stared at me in surprise, then suddenly stood up.
He swung his left arm behind his back, showing me his armband.
“Hey Haein! I’m on the White Team! Same team as you!”
The armband.
Same white color as mine—he was on my team.
I gave him a slight smile and nodded.
Too bad—I almost got 10 points right there.
For reference, stealing a bell earns 10 points.
Boss monsters have different point values depending on the level, and points are distributed based on contribution.
I’d guess… gathering around 150 points by the end would put someone in the top ranks.
“I’m heading out! Good luck!”
The student in front of me hurried out of the classroom.
I calmly turned on my watch.
[Time until offense-defense switch: 58:40]
Time is ticking.
Once it ran out, the offense-defense roles would swap.
I walked outside.
It was time for the offense.
Though I stepped into a wide-open area, the only people wandering the streets were students from the White Team, wearing white armbands.
Most of them were moving in groups.
I also had a group of sorts, but we still had some time before we planned to meet.
There was no reason to head to any hidden location yet.
Even if I found it, I’d need points to shop anyway.
Most likely, the defending students were hiding in various buildings—or up in the hills.
Or perhaps they were taking on bosses.
However, the offense team couldn’t just casually head to a boss area.
If they were unlucky and spotted the boss before any defense team member did…
They’d end up getting smashed by an unrestrained boss and be eliminated.
I headed toward Gaon’s main training building.
According to the map, there was one silver-tier boss and one bronze-tier boss in that area.
The defense team would absolutely want to secure this area too.
Which means—it’s bound to be a hot zone.
I arrived there first and set up an ambush.
“Doesn’t seem like anyone’s here. It’s quiet.”
“Hurry up, once we’re inside the boss zone, we’re good.”
As expected, I heard the voices of several students.
“Over here!”
I stepped out naturally.
“Whoa, crap! You scared me!”
“Hey… keep it down…!”
It was a group of four—two males and two females.
Their armbands, worn on their forearms, were clearly blue.
“Wait, are you alone?”
“Yeah.”
Once they confirmed I was alone, their expressions relaxed.
Smiling, they subtly moved into position.
I could sense their intent—to subdue me quickly and enter the boss room.
“Get him!”
At the shout of one student, they all rushed toward me at once.
And then—
[10 pt!]
[10 pt!]
[10 pt!]
[10 pt!]
“Thanks.”
They were probably among the first to be eliminated.
To think they handed me 40 points just like that.
After collecting my reward, I quietly moved to another building.
Thanks to the noise made during the fight, it was unlikely anyone else would come this way for now.
But just then—
“…This scent.”
A fragrance brushed the tip of my nose.
A very familiar smell.
I hadn’t noticed it lately due to the exams, but it was the soft floral scent I smelled every morning.
It was Yu Hana’s scent.
My body reacted before my mind did.
Though my thoughts were uncertain, my steps naturally carried me toward the Gaon training ground.
That place where she and I sweated together, ran together, and crossed swords.
From the basics of the Flower Butterfly Sword to live sparring—we had traded blades dozens of times in that space.
For no specific reason, I was oddly confident.
Yu Hana would be there.
I quietly opened the door.
Creak.
The view unfolded before me.
Yu Hana, dressed neatly in her uniform, was there.
At her waist, the sheathed Dongbaek Sword rested, its subdued glow heavy but serene.
She was kneeling properly, facing me.
The blue armband was clearly visible.
Our eyes met.
She gently, almost imperceptibly, raised the corners of her lips.
Then, looking into my eyes, she slowly lowered her posture.
– Swish.
The sound of her uniform brushing against the floor.
She knelt down fully on the floor of the training ground, and slowly bowed her head.
“To my master…”
Her voice was quiet, but firm.
“…this disciple requests a spar, after a long time.”
I looked at her in silence.
The one who had waited for me—was Yu Hana.
Though her body was low to the ground, her spirit was blazing.
‘A student I taught… is now challenging me.’
That was the emotion I felt first.
“You called me here?”
I was still a little unsure.
At my words, Yu Hana raised her head and smiled again.
“I knew you’d come. The scent was familiar.”
Now I was certain.
She had called me here.
A challenge from a defender to an attacker—a duel request.
A very Yu Hana-like move.
With that, she quietly rose to her feet.
“Let’s see how much I’ve improved.”
I smiled and replied.
I was curious.
How far she had come.
And—whether she was worthy of claiming a Fragment.
I walked to one side of the training ground and drew a sword.