Kim Soohyuk stood proudly in front of the ten uniform lines of class Veritas, his voice booming as per usual.
"I'm sure you all know what this lesson is about, so I'll announce the teams without explanation. Unless something special happens, this team will be the same until after the midterms."
Teams…? No explanation…? Until after Midterms…? Is this a nightmare?
Minori despair as he could already feel his social battery draining like a sink.
A team generally consisted of five members – two warriors, one sharp shooter, one supporter, and one utility player. Warriors were usually close ranger combatants like spearman or swordsmen, sharpshooters were the long ranged attackers and supporters were people who attacked themselves or supported the main attackers.
Finally, the utility player was generally the magician's position, so it was excluded for now. Magicians were important after all.
My role here would be a supporter since I focus on speed and stealth. If it were a game I'd definitely be an assassin class.
Though, I'd never do something as reckless as jumping off a skyscraper to land in a pile of loose hay.
"Team members will be selected fairly. Lower ranked cadets will be paired with higher ranked cadets." Kim Soohyuk announced.
Cube's training classes were administered by an artificial intelligence developed by the Great Sage. As a result, there was no room for corruption or persuasion… unless the Great Sage themselves were to switch sides all of a sudden.
Looking at the results Minori's eyes started from the bottom and made their way up.
Strangely, he found his name in team 2.
[Team 2]
[Demian / Rosen]
[Minori / Chae Nayun]
Eugh, a member of the Chae family, even a slum rat like me knows not to mess with a person like that.
What should I do, try and make a good impression? I have no clue if they're arrogant or apathetic, how do I act?
Let's just see how it goes.
Minori looked around with caution at the front of his mind. His main priority no longer 'avoiding social interaction', now switching to 'Don't piss off Chae Nayun'.
From prior experience with the upper class, this wasn't going to be fun.
–Try your best Vermin! Don't tell me you're giving up after only a few stabs!
A voice echoed in the back of his mind, but he shook it off.
"Hey, are you Minori?" A voice spoke up from in front of him.
He was tall and muscular, he had short brown hair and looked pretty average. He had a hammer strapped to his back
I'm gonna assume he's Demian
"Yea-woah." Minori answered flatly, but before he could get a word out the man in front of him grabbed his shoulder and pulled him.
"I found our last member!" He waved towards two girls.
One had long, wild brown hair, her eyes were emerald green and she wore an annoyed expression. She had a quill of arrows at her hip and a bow slung over her shoulder haphazardly.
"About time! I was getting itchy standing here doing nothing while that bastard Suho is already strategizing!"
Seems like she's a boisterous type. Is she Chae Nayun? If so it's probably due to her upbringing as a part of the upper class. Suho? Does she consider Kim Suho a rival?
"Sorry, I'm a little face blind so I couldn't find you all." Minori stitched together an excuse.
"It's fine, I just got here too."
A girl with rose gold hair chuckled and waved her hand soothingly. She had soft features that gave her a gentle air… if not for the claymore strapped to her waist.
Going by process of elimination, that's Rosen.
This team… it has three melee attackers and one sharpshooter… I'm hardly a support.
"There's no time for chit chat. You should have gotten the coordinate and information of the monster you'll need to kill on your smartwatch. Get going!"
25 teams in class Veritas, every single one given a place, a monster and the goal to kill it.
They were then ranked based on how quickly and how successfully they completed the mission.
As soon as the Instructor spoke Rosen projected her smartwatch into the air.
[Silver Tongued Lizard 32° 62' 12" E]
"Let's go!" Chase Nayun took charge enthusiastically and ran off in a direction only to stop.
"C-Chae Nayun, it's the other way!" Rosen stammered, perhaps also nervous to face the entity known as a chaebol (rich families that control conglomerates in South Korea).
"I knew that!"
I'm losing faith in our sharpshooter. They're supposed to be good at tracking right?
Minori tried not to let it show as he, along with the team, ran after their sharpshooter.
…
At the bottom of a cliff side a lizard-like creature was perched on a rock. It was abnormally large, with claws as sharp as blades and a body thicker than a tree trunk. Its scales glinted in the sun as its dark slitted pupils surveyed the area.
A group of four were crouched in a nearby bush, observing its movements within the small clearing.
"I don't get why we're just sitting here. We have to kill it already!" Chae Nayun whispered, nocking an arrow into her bow.
"It's just as observant as us, if we do it carelessly, we'll lose." Rosen rebutted.
"Ha? Why should I listen to you? This is our chance." Chase Nayun aimed at the creature who had conveniently looked away.
"Aim for the neck, remember." Demian chided, it was a topic from when they were running.
The silver tongued lizard's main weapon was its voice, as long as it could emit sound, it could cause changes in the surroundings or worse, daze its opponent.
The mana coursed through her finger tips, through the shaft and into the tip, glinting with power.
The lizard perked up and turned its head in their direction.
Not even a second later, it pounced, its claws out and ready.
Minori shoved the frozen Demian in front with surprising force.
The team was surprised and looked at Minori to find him circling to the side of the small clearing.
The startled man raised his hammer in a panic and blocked the Lizard.
It hissed as its silver tongue whipped out and cut Demians cheek.
Walls made out of stone pushed out of the dirt behind Demian, the foliage grew thicker as it tried to separate Demian from the group.
Without any other choice, Demian pushed back against it, mana erupted in front of him, pushing the thing back and creating space.
Taking the opportunity, Chae Nayun fired a glowing arrow.
The arrow flew straight, tearing through foliage forcefully and ripping into the lizard's throat, piercing its thick scales. Blood poured as it failed to let out a screech, gargling before lunging forward once more, a desperate attempt to take even a single human with it.
Minori, who was out of sight, dashed out from the side and thrusted his short sword into the lizard's armpit. His mana, previously hidden, glowed white as it ripped bone and flesh savagely, disabling its ability to attack on its left side.
He then turned the blade and drove it between his ribs, stabbing into its lungs before pulling out. The outburst of mana dimmed and flickered before disappearing.
The lizard let out a gurgle before lashing out with its tongue, sticky with blood.
Without a second thought he dashed back into the bush, away from the probably enraged lizard.
"Now all we have to do is wait for it to bleed out." Rosen murmured, looking at how the lizard was focused on finding the bastard who stabbed him.
"Like hell that's gonna happen." Chase Nayun nocked another arrow and fired.
This time the arrow tore through the air ferociously and ripped the upper part of the skull into shreds. A demonstration of intense mana density.
"Now let's go! We have to beat Kim Suho!"
I'm tired of running, you bitch!
Minori wheezed and cursed but nevertheless ran after their sharpshooter.
…
[Team 2 — Total time: 27 minutes 31 seconds 3/100]
"We beat Rachel!" Chase Nayun pumped her fist.
"Next it'll be Shin Jonghak and then Kim Suho!"
I made my way to the corner of the room and quietly leaned against the wall.
I need to work on my stamina…
"Drones filmed everything. They'll be sent to your smartwatches, so why you were quick or slow to hunt your monster, your team's compatibility with the monster and how you could improve for next time. It'll be part of your grades." Kim Soohyuk spoke after everyone caught their breaths.
Everyone had now returned to the class for the end.
After catching his breath Minori felt a pat on his shoulder.
"Congrats on getting third, Minori." I looked to the side and saw Kim Suho.
I don't want to hear that from first place.
"Haaa, I just got a good team, that's all." Minori tried to be humble and saw him smile at that.
"By the way, what's up with Chae Nayuns stamina? She's less like an archer and more like a Berserker." Minori deliberated before pointing at the girl.
"Heh, then you better get used to it. You'll be stuck in that group until midterms after all." Kim Suho deflected successfully due to the rising dread Minori experienced.
In truth Kim Suho had no idea either which was the reason for his deflection.
…
The sky was scorched with flames.
The earth was an ocean of blood.
The world crumbled and shattered.
Buildings fell, but not towards him, never towards him.
"Why? Is it their fault? Then why are you still standing while we die?" A scream was heard before liquid fell to the ground.
He didn't look. He'd break if he looked.
I feel sick. All I can smell is blood. What happened?
Another surge of flames appeared in the sky, accompanied by more spillage.
Another tower fell. Another burst of flame. Another Spill of blood.
Then he looked, prying his eyes open.
And it was all gone.
"Fuuuu…. A bad dream." Minori shook his head and got out of bed, feeling bile rising from his stomach.
I'm gonna be sick.