"Prepare A1 Team!"
As the teachers busily moved around, guiding each team to the teleportation device, Sihyun, who had been watching them, stood up from his seat. This month's evaluation was to be conducted without teachers present, with each student wearing a miniature camera attached to their clothing, recording the footage for grading purposes. In other words, there would be no teachers to assist in case of unexpected or dangerous situations that might arise during the evaluation.
Although mana recovery potions were distributed to teams facing high-risk irregulars just in case, it wasn't enough to guarantee safety. With the evaluation proceeding more cautiously than ever, the expressions of other students were grim. The principal had already mentioned during the morning speech that without luck, one might not make it through the day.
"Facing an Irregular, there's no such thing as complete safety. You all need to realize that. Even the school's fences are not perfect against Irregulars."
Those words were heard by the strongest first-year students.
In other words, they were 17-year-olds.
Realizing more than ever the lack of mercy this world showed even to children, Sihyun, who had decided not to dwell on the events of that day, walked over to Hamin, who was standing by the teleporter. For some reason, Hamin seemed upset, even when greeting me when I came out late in the morning, he said, "Your friend, Ihaemin, is here," indicating his uneasy state of mind.
Even after I asked him again why he was upset, all he did was mumble something about me running away. Giving up on asking him further due to exhaustion, Sihyun decided not to think about that day's events. Since it was Hamin who brought up the conversation first and then shut it down, maybe he would bring it up again someday.
Promising himself that when the time came, he would persist until the end without just skirting around the issue like this time, Sihyun stood beside Hamin, waiting for the map teacher. When the teacher who had safely escorted Group B7 came walking briskly toward them, Sihyun nodded his head, and the teacher raised his hand toward the teleporter.
Then, he glanced inward. Sihyun and Hamin quietly returned to the circle and waited for the teleportation to commence.
"Good luck!"
With a bright smile and encouragement from the teacher, a blinding light poured out from the giant device. It was so dazzling that when Sihyun opened his eyes, feeling the familiar fluttering sensation he had experienced before, he found himself in a desert with a completely different atmosphere from the school.
"..."
A gust of wind blew sand, stinging his skin. Despite having heard that Corpius, a high-risk irregular, dwelled in the desert, Sihyun couldn't have guessed the location would be a desert, and he opened his mouth, feeling thirsty just looking at the sandy ground.
"It must be Korea, right?"
"I heard that there are places where the terrain changes due to the appearance of Irregulars, so it's possible."
Korea and a desert. It just didn't match up. Mumbling to himself about how incompatible it was, Sihyun was answered nonchalantly by Hamin. Then, out of nowhere, Hamin tossed him a water bottle.
"When did you prepare this?"
"This morning."
Since it was a desert terrain, he brought it just in case. Impressed by the unexpected thoroughness, Sihyun drank some water, feeling his throat parched, and watched the quiet desert. The method of finding Corpius buried deep in the sand in this vast desert was simple.
Creatures living in the sand come out to replenish their moisture when it rains or when they discover a lake. So, they would designate an area, spray water, and when it appeared to rain, Corpius would sneak out thinking it was raining.
"Ready?"
"Even our muscles are stiff from traveling, so let's get started quickly."
Responding bluntly to Hamin, who didn't seem to know how to be kind, Sihyun cut short Hamin's nagging about not eating properly and focused on the evaluation.
"Hmm!"
The white staff vibrated lightly, and at the same time, a blue gem brightly illuminated, and rain began to fall from the sky. Strictly speaking, it was a cloud made by Sihyun.
Shoosh―
What had been a drizzle turned into a heavy downpour, pouring onto the sand as if it were a torrential rainstorm.
The dry sands soaked up the moisture, turning damp. As the color of the light sand darkened, the ground trembled.
Thump, thump.
The earth shook violently.
Clash!
Finally, sand shot up, and a giant gray scorpion emerged from the sand.
Corpius, the high-risk Irregular.
Despite being a large scorpion with a tail diameter of only 5m, it displayed its majesty on the damp desert surface.
Scrape, scrape. The scorpions, shaking off sand from their bodies, moved their pincers threateningly amid the falling rain. At a glance, they seemed like ordinary scorpions, but in reality, they resembled other species only in appearance. They were not just Irregulars; they were known to swallow people whole and spit out their offspring. Since their defeat in the Outbreak, they had resorted even to cannibalism due to a lack of prey.
Three Corpiuses crawled up and shook their tails. Kang Sihyun, creating a protective platform to avoid detection, dissipated the clouds. As the rain ceased, the confused creatures crawled around before disappearing back into the sand. Since there was no need to engage all three, they could wait until the last one vanished and then deal with it.
Whoosh.
The first Corpius that emerged returned to its domain. The second followed suit. When the last one, digging into the moistened sand, prepared to return to the ground, Haemin leaped off the platform.
Thump!
The boy's sword, descending from a 30-meter height, struck the Corpius's back with full force. Crack. Its tough carapace shattered. Startled by the unexpected blow, the Corpius flinched, wetting its body. Dodging the tail swiftly, Haemin rotated in mid-air and landed on the ground.
However, the Catastrophe Class creature was not an easy opponent.
Swoosh!
Evading the venomous sting with a swift twist, the Corpius lunged at Haemin again with its tail. Haemin adeptly evaded, but the tail grazed his hair, making him hold his breath.
The Corpius's venom was lethal. Even a slight touch could kill an elephant, let alone a human. Although Sihyun continued to purify, any deviation in timing could be fatal. It was better not to allow an attack in the first place. But the terrain posed a problem.
In the desert, sinking into the sand made movement sluggish. In contrast, the Corpius's attack speed was relentless, making it difficult to find a moment to retreat.
Difficult.
To evade those attacks and retreat under such conditions required agility at least on par with a day's worth of practice.
Realizing his inadequacy, Haemin tightened his grip on the sword. As the Corpius, which had been attacking methodically, suddenly swung its tail downward, it was too late to dodge. Haemin raised the sword belatedly.
Clang!
Crossing his swords, he blocked the tail. Despite reinforcing the swords with his abilities, his hands holding the swords trembled violently. Then, it happened.
Thunk.
The venom dripping from the tail between the crossed swords fell towards him. Closing his eyes instinctively as the liquid headed towards his eyes, Haemin, in a desperate situation, swung his staff hastily.
Just before the Corpius's venom could penetrate Haemin's membranes, a white shimmer shot towards him. Managing to purify in time, Haemin took a deep breath. Sighing heavily, he pushed the Corpius's tail away and took a deep breath.
"Phew!"
Angered by the failed attack, the Corpius let out a scream. Then, noticing the purified foe, it turned its head towards Haemin. Spotting Sihyun in the air, the Corpius swung its massive pincers towards where he was. As Sihyun, copying the Flight skill, fled into the air, he quickly dodged the oncoming tail by waving his staff.
The blue water enveloped the tail with venomous barbs. Before the venomous barb could touch him, the water, which had surrounded the tail, burst first, giving Sihyun just enough time to dodge leftward. Confirming that the Corpius's attention was entirely on him, Sihyun summoned an aura.
Zap!
The purple aura struck the Corpius's flank. Screaming in agony as it pierced the weakest part of its shell, the Corpius, infuriated, swung its tail and pincers in all directions.
The sandstorm intensified. Knowing that attempting to block it while attacking was suicidal, Haemin retreated, seizing the moment when the attack ceased.
Inadequate.
In this condition, evading those attacks and then retreating required at least a day's worth of agility.
Frowning at his inadequacy, Haemin tightened his grip on the sword. As the Corpius, attacking with some regularity, suddenly struck its tail downward, it was too late to dodge. Haemin raised the sword belatedly.
Thunk.
The venom dripping from the tail between the crossed swords fell towards him. Closing his eyes instinctively as the liquid headed towards his eyes, Haemin, in a desperate situation, swung his staff hastily.
Just before the Corpius's venom could penetrate Haemin's membranes, a white shimmer shot towards him. Managing to purify in time, Haemin took a deep breath. Sighing heavily, he pushed the Corpius's tail away and took a deep breath.
"Phew!"
Angered by the failed attack, the Corpius let out a scream. Then, noticing the purified foe, it turned its head towards Haemin. Spotting Sihyun in the air, the Corpius swung its massive pincers towards where he was. As Sihyun, copying the Flight skill, fled into the air, he quickly dodged the oncoming tail by waving his staff.
The blue water enveloped the tail with venomous barbs. Before the venomous barb could touch him, the water, which had surrounded the tail, burst first, giving Sihyun just enough time to dodge leftward. Confirming that the Corpius's attention was entirely on him, Sihyun summoned an aura.
Zap!
The purple aura struck the Corpius's flank. Screaming in agony as it pierced the weakest part of its shell, the Corpius, infuriated, swung its tail and pincers in all directions.
The sandstorm intensified. Knowing that attempting to block it while attacking was suicidal, Haemin retreated, seizing the moment when the attack ceased.
"Kyaa!"
Frustrated by the failed attacks, the Corpius screamed, then split its mouth open on both sides. Then, dozens of baby scorpions poured out towards Haemin.
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