“…Huff… Kuff…”
“This is bad…” Yoenha’s inner turmoil reflects her situation. She is pale, and vomiting blood. “Am I poisoned?” Her mind turns back to the kiss, and she can only assume that is the cause of this.
“J-jonghak…” She cries to the only person in her vicinity.
After that, Yoenha falls into sleep not being able to inform Jonghak of the whole story.
***
Shin Jonghak is angry. His friend is in that state, and he can do nothing about it. “What is this?” He touches the blood that has a tinge of blackness on it. If this is poison then it must be a lethal one to be able to change one’s blood color.
He carries Yoenha in his arms and sets off to the infirmary.
“Devil Hunter’s Club…” Jonghak’s mind runs to Nayun’s recently created club and its possible involvement. “If there are Djinns within Cube, then I swear… I will mince them until nothing is left behind…”
The possibility of Yoenha being poisoned involving Djinns is highly likely considering that it is them she is about to talk to him. If there is one thing that Jonghak will never be, then that will be disloyal.
***
Cube has a variety of artificial terrain which allows for more efficient training such as mountains, hills, limestone caves, volcanic caves, etc. Each environment has its unique puppet monsters, and naturally, there are also artificial Dungeons that are created with cutting-edge magic technology.
“Today’s combat training is a bit special.” Instructor Kim Soohyuk announces to us. There will be two classes participating in today’s combat training. We gather in an eerie cave where the black tunnel-like entrance oozes disgusting stench and ominous energy.
I imagine today’s activities to be unhygienic. In terms of hygiene, I recall Yoenha who obsesses with cleanliness. The last time I check is that she is in the infirmary. My visit with her is uneventful as she is asleep.
It should be enough I am leaving a small camera to take a watch on her. If there are any disturbances, Hajin will immediately notify me. If only I can abandon my classes and do as much as I like the same way how Nayun and Suho are skipping classes.
I am pretty sure they will hear an earful from the instructor.
“Today, you’ll be entering this cave with another class. As a joint training exercise, a team from each class will join together to form a single team.”
The name of this training is Mock Dungeon Trial where cadets will form a team of eight and experience an artificial dungeon. Two cadets will be inside this massive grade artificial Dungeon, so one can only imagine how large it is.
“Now, get in your usual teams.”
I follow as the instructor instructs. I come by Shin Jonghak’s side. For some reason, my Hyon-senses are feeling a hint of danger from the way he is looking at me. No way. Am I being targeted?
Hopefully not.
Shin Jonghak doesn’t show a sign of nervousness in this particular combat training. Nothing really moves this guy. As expected of Shin Myungchuls’ grandson, and heir to the Desolate Moon Guild!
200 cadets quickly form into 50 groups.
I wave my hand around to get my other teammates’ attention. We all gather at Jonghak’s side. The atmosphere around Jonghak is always militaristic and strict to the point that our teammates don’t even know each other’s names exactly.
We are united by fear under Jonghak’s rule.
But not knowing other’s names is not really a problem for us either as that doesn’t hinder our operation even a little bit. We simply refer to each other by our roles, and refer to boss Shin Jonghak as Lord…
I swear… There must be something wrong with Jonghak’s head. He is a different kind of crazy… like crazy chunibyou or something… He glances at me with pressure in his eyes as if he can hear my thoughts.
“Eek~!” I cry.
However, that’s not where the surprise ends.
“Name.” Shin Jonghak demands of us.
What is this? Maturity? I feel full in my heart.
“My name is Hyon Hyung, sir! A pleasure to meet you I am your reliable supporter that can serve as a better scout than our archer, and a more annoying wall than a warrior!” I joyously cry my name to him.
The archer and warrior indignantly complain in a murmur of my arrogance. Sorry pals, but when it comes to befriending people, it is always important to create an impression! So I wordlessly apologize for throwing my teammates’ names in the mud.
“My name is Su Yung-il, the archer! Boss Jonghak, I may lack as a scout, but I can compensate with my observation ability to see peculiarities!” The archer boasts. As if, I can still remember him giving me a friendly fire. I hate friendly fire with passion.
Then comes the warrior’s introduction. “I am Koh Young-jae… I will be loyal to you, sir!” He shouts his words of fealty.
For some reason, this entire time, Jonghak’s eyes remain on me.
The announcements of which team pairs are different from what I remember as Suho, Nayun, and Yoenha are absent today.
[Team 2]
Veritas Class— Team Shin Jonghak
World Class— Team Kaine
The pairing with Jonghak’s team did not change, however. I watch a serious girl with long dark hair covering half of her face approach us. She seems to be of Mediterranean roots. I don’t know anything about Kaine, as Jonghak’s story is not really explored in-depth.
“Hello, Jonghak-ssi…” She defers herself to Jonghak.
Kaine wields a spear and has a tad of extrovertedness in the way she talks. However, I sense a little bit of exhaustion in her voice as if the weight of stress has been crushing her for some time already.
“Miss Kaine, are you ok?” I ask her sincerely, feeling sorry for her.
“I… I am fine…” Kaine weakly replies.
Jonghak intones. “Tell me what the problem is. I cannot have you hindering our dungeon exploration a little bit.” He cruelly tells her.
I imagine Kaine to be pissed, but she simply shows a subservient expression as if a maiden in love. Ah~ she is a fangirl of Jonghak.
Kaine takes small and even breathes, and then explains herself. “My friend… Seungyeon… she disappeared… I was with her last time when I left her in her dorm room, but then the next day, she suddenly vanished…”
I feel bitter at the moment. It is not right, but I feel like blaming myself. Maybe we could have done more, maybe if I have been more belligerent, and insistent on cracking the Djinns.
But we have been under great pressure lately. Finding the Devil's Seed is a far more important affair… We have been reserved at first, but as victims start appearing, we take in a more active approach by directly targeting Yun Hyuk, the suspected boss of the operations.
The problem is Yun Hyuk has been hiding lately as if aware that someone is onto him. The villains did not just become stronger but also smarter.
I feel another gaze over me. My martial ability has gone an evolution thanks to Suho’s training. I can now feel the gaze of others though barely. I see Sven. He is the star student coming from Germany who after facing true geniuses finds himself on the precipice of despair and utter defeat.
Because of his inferiority complex, he will then become a cause of trouble for a lot of reasons in the future as a Djinn… He is among the people Hajin wishes to exterminate… Sigh… But that is a topic for another time.
According to Hajin’s digging into Yoenha’s and Rachel’s personal investigation, Sven is among the students who are on the brink of accepting the Djinn Contract. From the original novel, today is the day that Sven should finally crack up under Djinn’s malice and manipulation.
Sven has a secret. He has a crush on Nayun. Thankfully, Nayun is absent today, and the team he is paired up with should be Nayun’s team with no Nayun. This means that Sven’s transition to the dark side should not happen today.
The combat training finally commences as all of the pairs have been decided.
Mock Dungeon Trial.
There is no use to discuss our fighting styles under Jonghak’s leadership as it is quite obvious from the weapons we wield already. Moreover, Jonghak has a keen sense of leading. He doesn’t show it as much as Yoenha does, but his method is just as effective if not more efficient.
Lies in front of us is a dead Salamander with impressive physical attributes. On top of this, it can breathe flames for a short period of time. It can even spit a blotch of acid from the glands under its tongue. It is truly deadly. However, after a single fight, Jonghak is already able to learn the abilities of the new additions to our group and easily integrates them into our strategies.
After that, the fight with the Salamanders has become easier and easier. If we find a new enemy, then Jonghak will give us the proper instructions to respond.
But then again. For some reason, I feel that there is something wrong going on. I feel that Jonghak is putting more pressure on me.
And as if to confirm my worries, when we are about to make another turn, Jonghak kicks me by my abdomen sending me down the rocky cliffs with a roll.
I grit my teeth as blood spills on my throat and its rusty smell pervades my nose. I endure the hurt as I raise my arms to cover my face. I curl in a fetal position as I roll down the rocky cliffs in hopes to minimize damage.
Abrasions accumulate in my skin, and several of my bones end up fractured. I roll and roll until I finally come to a stop at the steep cliff, but slightly more manageable ground. It is rough, but it has some semblance of flatness to it that allows me little space to move around.
Ah~ fuck…
I glare at the culprit of my hurting bloody nose from too much rolling. Jonghak lightly jumps down with ease until he is only a few meters away from me. He directs me his spear parallel to the slope.
“Come hither, so that I may smite you…” He coolly announces to me.
You fucking sick psycho.
“…Huff… Kuff…”
“This is bad…” Yoenha’s inner turmoil reflects her situation. She is pale, and vomiting blood. “Am I poisoned?” Her mind turns back to the kiss, and she can only assume that is the cause of this.
“J-jonghak…” She cries to the only person in her vicinity.
After that, Yoenha falls into sleep not being able to inform Jonghak of the whole story.
***
Shin Jonghak is angry. His friend is in that state, and he can do nothing about it. “What is this?” He touches the blood that has a tinge of blackness on it. If this is poison then it must be a lethal one to be able to change one’s blood color.
He carries Yoenha in his arms and sets off to the infirmary.
“Devil Hunter’s Club…” Jonghak’s mind runs to Nayun’s recently created club and its possible involvement. “If there are Djinns within Cube, then I swear… I will mince them until nothing is left behind…”
The possibility of Yoenha being poisoned involving Djinns is highly likely considering that it is them she is about to talk to him. If there is one thing that Jonghak will never be, then that will be disloyal.
***
Cube has a variety of artificial terrain which allows for more efficient training such as mountains, hills, limestone caves, volcanic caves, etc. Each environment has its unique puppet monsters, and naturally, there are also artificial Dungeons that are created with cutting-edge magic technology.
“Today’s combat training is a bit special.” Instructor Kim Soohyuk announces to us. There will be two classes participating in today’s combat training. We gather in an eerie cave where the black tunnel-like entrance oozes disgusting stench and ominous energy.
I imagine today’s activities to be unhygienic. In terms of hygiene, I recall Yoenha who obsesses with cleanliness. The last time I check is that she is in the infirmary. My visit with her is uneventful as she is asleep.
It should be enough I am leaving a small camera to take a watch on her. If there are any disturbances, Hajin will immediately notify me. If only I can abandon my classes and do as much as I like the same way how Nayun and Suho are skipping classes.
I am pretty sure they will hear an earful from the instructor.
“Today, you’ll be entering this cave with another class. As a joint training exercise, a team from each class will join together to form a single team.”
The name of this training is Mock Dungeon Trial where cadets will form a team of eight and experience an artificial dungeon. Two cadets will be inside this massive grade artificial Dungeon, so one can only imagine how large it is.
“Now, get in your usual teams.”
I follow as the instructor instructs. I come by Shin Jonghak’s side. For some reason, my Hyon-senses are feeling a hint of danger from the way he is looking at me. No way. Am I being targeted?
Hopefully not.
Shin Jonghak doesn’t show a sign of nervousness in this particular combat training. Nothing really moves this guy. As expected of Shin Myungchuls’ grandson, and heir to the Desolate Moon Guild!
200 cadets quickly form into 50 groups.
I wave my hand around to get my other teammates’ attention. We all gather at Jonghak’s side. The atmosphere around Jonghak is always militaristic and strict to the point that our teammates don’t even know each other’s names exactly.
We are united by fear under Jonghak’s rule.
But not knowing other’s names is not really a problem for us either as that doesn’t hinder our operation even a little bit. We simply refer to each other by our roles, and refer to boss Shin Jonghak as Lord…
I swear… There must be something wrong with Jonghak’s head. He is a different kind of crazy… like crazy chunibyou or something… He glances at me with pressure in his eyes as if he can hear my thoughts.
“Eek~!” I cry.
However, that’s not where the surprise ends.
“Name.” Shin Jonghak demands of us.
What is this? Maturity? I feel full in my heart.
“My name is Hyon Hyung, sir! A pleasure to meet you I am your reliable supporter that can serve as a better scout than our archer, and a more annoying wall than a warrior!” I joyously cry my name to him.
The archer and warrior indignantly complain in a murmur of my arrogance. Sorry pals, but when it comes to befriending people, it is always important to create an impression! So I wordlessly apologize for throwing my teammates’ names in the mud.
“My name is Su Yung-il, the archer! Boss Jonghak, I may lack as a scout, but I can compensate with my observation ability to see peculiarities!” The archer boasts. As if, I can still remember him giving me a friendly fire. I hate friendly fire with passion.
Then comes the warrior’s introduction. “I am Koh Young-jae… I will be loyal to you, sir!” He shouts his words of fealty.
For some reason, this entire time, Jonghak’s eyes remain on me.
The announcements of which team pairs are different from what I remember as Suho, Nayun, and Yoenha are absent today.
[Team 2]
Veritas Class— Team Shin Jonghak
World Class— Team Kaine
The pairing with Jonghak’s team did not change, however. I watch a serious girl with long dark hair covering half of her face approach us. She seems to be of Mediterranean roots. I don’t know anything about Kaine, as Jonghak’s story is not really explored in-depth.
“Hello, Jonghak-ssi…” She defers herself to Jonghak.
Kaine wields a spear and has a tad of extrovertedness in the way she talks. However, I sense a little bit of exhaustion in her voice as if the weight of stress has been crushing her for some time already.
“Miss Kaine, are you ok?” I ask her sincerely, feeling sorry for her.
“I… I am fine…” Kaine weakly replies.
Jonghak intones. “Tell me what the problem is. I cannot have you hindering our dungeon exploration a little bit.” He cruelly tells her.
I imagine Kaine to be pissed, but she simply shows a subservient expression as if a maiden in love. Ah~ she is a fangirl of Jonghak.
Kaine takes small and even breathes, and then explains herself. “My friend… Seungyeon… she disappeared… I was with her last time when I left her in her dorm room, but then the next day, she suddenly vanished…”
I feel bitter at the moment. It is not right, but I feel like blaming myself. Maybe we could have done more, maybe if I have been more belligerent, and insistent on cracking the Djinns.
But we have been under great pressure lately. Finding the Devil's Seed is a far more important affair… We have been reserved at first, but as victims start appearing, we take in a more active approach by directly targeting Yun Hyuk, the suspected boss of the operations.
The problem is Yun Hyuk has been hiding lately as if aware that someone is onto him. The villains did not just become stronger but also smarter.
I feel another gaze over me. My martial ability has gone an evolution thanks to Suho’s training. I can now feel the gaze of others though barely. I see Sven. He is the star student coming from Germany who after facing true geniuses finds himself on the precipice of despair and utter defeat.
Because of his inferiority complex, he will then become a cause of trouble for a lot of reasons in the future as a Djinn… He is among the people Hajin wishes to exterminate… Sigh… But that is a topic for another time.
According to Hajin’s digging into Yoenha’s and Rachel’s personal investigation, Sven is among the students who are on the brink of accepting the Djinn Contract. From the original novel, today is the day that Sven should finally crack up under Djinn’s malice and manipulation.
Sven has a secret. He has a crush on Nayun. Thankfully, Nayun is absent today, and the team he is paired up with should be Nayun’s team with no Nayun. This means that Sven’s transition to the dark side should not happen today.
The combat training finally commences as all of the pairs have been decided.
Mock Dungeon Trial.
There is no use to discuss our fighting styles under Jonghak’s leadership as it is quite obvious from the weapons we wield already. Moreover, Jonghak has a keen sense of leading. He doesn’t show it as much as Yoenha does, but his method is just as effective if not more efficient.
Lies in front of us is a dead Salamander with impressive physical attributes. On top of this, it can breathe flames for a short period of time. It can even spit a blotch of acid from the glands under its tongue. It is truly deadly. However, after a single fight, Jonghak is already able to learn the abilities of the new additions to our group and easily integrates them into our strategies.
After that, the fight with the Salamanders has become easier and easier. If we find a new enemy, then Jonghak will give us the proper instructions to respond.
But then again. For some reason, I feel that there is something wrong going on. I feel that Jonghak is putting more pressure on me.
And as if to confirm my worries, when we are about to make another turn, Jonghak kicks me by my abdomen sending me down the rocky cliffs with a roll.
I grit my teeth as blood spills on my throat and its rusty smell pervades my nose. I endure the hurt as I raise my arms to cover my face. I curl in a fetal position as I roll down the rocky cliffs in hopes to minimize damage.
Abrasions accumulate in my skin, and several of my bones end up fractured. I roll and roll until I finally come to a stop at the steep cliff, but slightly more manageable ground. It is rough, but it has some semblance of flatness to it that allows me little space to move around.
Ah~ fuck…
I glare at the culprit of my hurting bloody nose from too much rolling. Jonghak lightly jumps down with ease until he is only a few meters away from me. He directs me his spear parallel to the slope.
“Come hither, so that I may smite you…” He coolly announces to me.
You fucking sick psycho.
