Chapter 15
"Tomorrow, huh?"
The second test.
Token Defense.
Even Berton, Head Instructor of Hell Island, had been looking forward to it.
For the past several years...
The useless group that had never once shown any unity had suddenly changed.
And strangely enough, the one who united those hopeless trainees was a boy known as an idiot.
Idiot Theron.
Berton had no idea why the boy had ever been given that nickname.
But one thing was clear.
The Theron of today possessed more potential than almost any trainee Berton had ever seen.
Especially...
What happened to him in the Shadow Forest?
His height had changed.
Even his body had changed.
The weak, small appearance he once possessed was completely gone.
Now there was a strange firmness to his entire presence.
That was precisely why Berton had moved the Token Defense Test forward.
Originally, it had been planned as the fourth test.
Instead, Berton made it the second.
And he deliberately placed Section Five in the same group as Section Three, which contained the strongest trainees.
"Head Instructor."
An instructor entered Berton's office.
"All preparations are complete. Should we deploy the instructors?"
"How many are scheduled?"
"Fifty instructors will be assigned as observers."
They were called observers.
In reality, they were there to monitor the test and deal with any unexpected incidents.
Berton thought for a moment.
"Add twenty Executioners."
The instructor froze.
"I'll write a letter. Deliver it to Bellatuk."
Bellatuk was the man responsible for managing the Executioners.
The junior instructor swallowed nervously.
Although they themselves were instructors, the Executioners were always uncomfortable to deal with.
They were the only people on the island who did not fall under the instructors' authority.
"U-Understood."
"Any other problems?"
"No. Everything appears to be perfectly prepared."
"Check everything one more time before it begins."
"Yes, sir!"
Berton gestured toward the door.
The junior instructor immediately left.
Once he was alone...
"I hope we get a slightly unexpected result."
There was a trace of anticipation in Berton's expression as he looked outside.
The week passed like an arrow.
Finally, the day of the second test arrived.
The trainees of Section Five followed the instructors toward the forest where the test would take place.
Then...
"...Damn it. I'm shaking like crazy."
"My heart won't stop pounding."
Renil spoke first.
Tioren muttered quietly beside him.
They had prepared for this test more seriously and desperately than anything before.
Maybe that was why...
They were even more nervous than usual.
Then Theron spoke.
"Just do exactly what you've been doing."
He looked toward them.
"Don't try to suddenly perform better than usual. That's when people make mistakes."
"How can you be so calm?"
Renil stared at him.
"Apparently everyone in the training facility knows that Section Five is aiming for the top three."
That was the problem.
No one knew exactly how the rumor spread.
But through the instructors, every section had already heard about Section Five's bet.
Naturally...
"Everyone's probably waiting to eat us alive..."
Renil scratched his head.
"I'm already going insane."
Theron shook his head.
"Knowing that doesn't change anything."
He looked at the others.
"We've done everything we could during the past month."
Eventually, they reached the forest.
Bengle turned toward them.
"This is your starting location."
He pointed toward the trees.
"Even if you enter immediately, you probably won't encounter trainees from another section on the first day. Focus on protecting your tokens."
The forest used for the Token Defense Test had a circumference of more than thirty kilometers.
It was large.
But not so large that avoiding everyone else was guaranteed.
They could not lower their guard.
Then Bengle spoke again.
"I don't think I've ever said this to you before..."
He paused.
"Good luck."
His voice was calm.
During the past month, these trainees had already shown him enough.
Now there was nothing left for him to do but hope luck favored them.
At Bengle's words, the expressions of the Section Five trainees became serious.
"Haaaah... Let's do this."
"Yeah. It's not like we've been playing around all this time."
They might have been considered the weakest section.
But they had survived the brutal training until now.
And during the past month...
They had pushed themselves harder than ever before.
Theron looked over everyone.
"Remember what you learned this month."
His voice was calm.
"If someone attacks you, remember one thing."
Everyone listened.
"They're not hunters."
Theron's gaze sharpened.
"They're only trainees pretending to be hunters. They're no different from us."
If they remembered that...
They would not become frightened before the fight even began and make the worst possible decision.
Theron had learned that through experience in his previous life.
"Got it. I'll remember."
"...I don't like admitting it, but I think you're right."
After Perka, Valk spoke quietly.
At first, Valk had only followed Theron because he had been forced to.
But after spending a month together, he seemed to have accepted Theron at least a little.
Harganto immediately mocked him.
"Stop talking bullshit. If you're going to admit he's right, just admit it. What's with the 'I don't like it' part?"
Valk turned angrily.
Theron immediately stepped between them.
"If both of you plan to die during this test, feel free to fight here."
They froze.
"I'll just leave you behind."
"...No."
"Sorry. That was unnecessary."
Both stepped back.
By now, they knew that Theron always followed through on what he said.
The situation settled instantly.
Theron continued.
