Young-ah! (3)

Time flowed and flowed.

The last day of the first week’s training approached.

This day also marked the end of the training, where the cadets ran to death like dogs.

“Well, everyone has gathered.”

Peng Jin-ah, standing on the platform, looked around at the cadets.
She smiled with satisfaction at the fact that everyone attended without exception.

Certainly, the quality of this year’s cadets was quite good.

Until last year, many cadets would cry out, ‘I can’t do it anymore!’ and desert, causing professors to go after them personally and bring them back.

‘…Maybe it’s because they are stimulated by one another.’

Peng Jin-ah was looking at the two people at the forefront.

Ju Na-young, whose eyes shone emerald green along with her red hair.

And the other one was Yu Seha, who appeared like a comet in the entrance exam.

These two were unknowingly becoming topics of conversation among the cadets and stimulating them in various ways.

And the one who elicited the most surprising reactions was, of course, Yu Seha.

<Flame Dragon> Ju Na-young had always been a famous figure, so everyone just looked at her with ‘admiration’.

Yu Seha was merely a figure surrounded by rumors.

At first, those who looked at him with suspicion gradually started to show him respect.

Hmm, well…
It seemed to hold a slightly different meaning among the female cadets.

―…He’s handsome today, too.
―Really, I endure the training just to see Yu Seha’s face.
―I know, if it weren’t for him, I would have quit already, the other guys are all so-so…

Women were glancing at him here and there, but pretending not to.

Of course, Yu Seha himself didn’t care at all.

No, in the first place, he wasn’t even aware of it.
Naturally, since he didn’t try to know.

The only thing he cared about was the cute Ma Hana next to him and Moon Bora who was on the verge of collapsing from the forced running from the past few days.

“Meowi. Are you feeling alright today?”
“Meow! The best! Meowww!!”
“…Eukkueek.”
“…Ya, Bora Bora, you alright?”
“…Do-don’t call me weird nicknames…”

Peng Jin-ah grinned and cleared her throat.
She placed her hand on the mic in her hand and made this beeping sound on purpose, attracting the attention of those around her.

“Attention! I would like to thank everyone for helping me through the six days of rough training. And I think you all know that today is the final highlight of the first week of training.”

All the cadets nodded at those words.

The highlight was none other than the ‘Evaluation Test.’

The cadets would be assessed individually, and this was an important assessment that provided information to professors after formal admission.

In other words, getting a good score on today’s test was much more important than all the training up until now.

As everyone knew well, determination was evident in their eyes.

“Before we start, I will inform you of some precautions.”

Peng Jin-ah pointed to the field and pressed a button on the remote control in her hand.

*Ziiiing! *With that sound, the track started to shake, and something began to be installed here and there.

The identity of these installations was none other than traps and obstacles.
It was a precarious test where they had to avoid these and ultimately achieve 40 laps.

“All instructors, equip everyone with gravity devices.”

Here, the weight increase continued without pause.

Faced with such a brutal scenario, Moon Bora and the majority of the mages turned pale.

“…Mr. Seha, Miss Hana.”
“Yes?”
“Hm?”

Moon Bora looked at the two with a wistful gaze.
A single tear trickled down her cheek.

“…Please bury me in a decent place once this…”
“Meow? Why?! Don’t talk like that! Bora!”
“Right! We made it this far!”

Despite the three people’s comical conversation, Peng Jin-ah reached under her arms without hesitation and raised the signal flare.

“Then I wish you all good luck.”

Bang!

The sound of a signal flare broke the silence.

In response, the cadets began to rush ahead.

At the same time, there was a person who slipped through them and sped up quickly.

It was Ju Na-young.

She took the lead like it was natural, and ran like a red shooting star, as if she had nothing to worry about.

The red magic floating around both her legs revealed her unusual strength.

The power of [Dash] increased the owner’s movement speed.
It must have been a fairly high-level one, as she was running like the ground was exploding.

Even the cadets were in awe of her lightning-fast movements.

And at that moment.

A completely unexpected individual joined the lead.

“…?!”

Ju Na-young flinched.

Right beside her, none other than Yu Seha was running at a similar speed.

Simultaneously, a red aura enveloped his legs.

Undoubtedly, it was the [Dash] trait, just like her own.

Following closely behind was Ma Hana, shouting, ‘Meeoow’, as she dashed quickly.

The Myoin Tribe’s unique agile, and springy calves allowed her to run as if unaffected by gravity.

And even Moon Bora was following at a considerable speed, grunting, ‘Euuueek…’

‘…N-no way.’

Ju Na-young broke out in a cold sweat.

In just a few days…
They had caught up to her to the point where she felt this tense…?

No way, it couldn’t be!

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

I will never lose!

5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes.

And finally, the grand 30 minutes.

“Huh, huh…”

Ju Na-young brushed up the bangs that obstructed her view.

She wiped away the dripping sweat.

She had used too much energy running, but thanks to that, she was able to run close to the goal in 30 minutes.

Ju Na-young exhaled the breath that had risen to her chest and glanced back.

Yu Seha.
He was diligently following behind.
The number above his head was 28.

A difference of 2 laps with him.
It was only 2 laps.
Which meant it was a small enough difference that could be overturned at any time.

‘No way.’

Ju Na-young trembled.
It was suspicious enough for her to think that he had been deceiving and mocking her recently.

‘…No.’

No. Stay calm. Ju Na-young.

This just meant Yu Seha was amazing.

He had risen to the point of threatening herself with such absurd growth.

No matter how frustrated, one should not dismiss another’s achievements as insults.

‘…It’s okay.’

It’s okay.
He was definitely not normal, either.
The light in his eyes dimmed, and his legs trembled.

Surely, this was evidence of facing a limit.
On the other hand, she still had some leeway.

‘Just keep running like this.’

There is no way he would catch up.
Yes, absolutely!

But a few minutes later.

Ju Na-young looked to the side in disbelief.

She saw Yu Seha with the number 39 engraved above his head.

She was also 39.

In that short time, he had climbed up to this point and was running alongside her equally.

It was truly… an unbelievable growth.

“Wh-What the…?”
“Oh, I’m dying… huh? What did you say?”
“……”

Ju Na-young gritted her teeth.
She was astonished, but instead of questioning, she ran even faster.

I must win.
I must win!

‘Professor Peng Jin-ah is watching from afar!’

Her gaze was directed at Yu Seha and me.
To be recognized by her and become her disciple, it’s not this man but me.

Ju Na-young took a deep breath and forced strength into her legs.

Bang! Her body pushed through the air and sprinted forward.

Thanks to that, she began to gradually outpace Yu Seha.

‘Not much farther!’

The goal was right in front of her.
She just had to reach it now!

Ju Na-young dashed forward like a mad person.
Focusing solely on speed, she was faster than anything.
But this ultimately made her forget one crucial fact she should have kept in mind and been cautious of.

This running track was not just about completing 40 laps.

It was a gimmick track with obstacles and ‘traps’ installed here and there.

Clunk!

Ju Na-young stepped on a suspicious-looking platform.

It was a mistake she would never normally make.

But she was too exhausted to even realize that she had triggered something.

And this led to Ju Na-young’s downfall.

“…! Hey, hey, that’s dangerous!”

Yu Seha shouted with a surprised expression.

Ju Na-young, who had been puzzled, finally realized that she had done something wrong.

The trap activated like lightning, emitting a small light and paralyzing Ju Na-young’s legs in an instant.

It was an immediate status ailment imbued with the [Paralysis] effect.
No trap inflicted direct harm on the cadets.

Instead, they boasted a strength and duration so strong that they could hardly be removed on the spot.

Ju Na-young went into a panic.
She instinctively felt regret for what she did, but shook her head.

“…Y-Young-ah! Th-this is nothing.”

She just had to overcome it with determination.

Ju Na-young forced herself to rise.
Step by step, she moved forward.

With each step, a tingling sensation, as if a severe cramp, shot through her foot.

‘…No.’

The critical moment was near.
Half a lap.
Just half a lap more to complete the 40 laps.

Now, only she and Yu Seha were maintaining an overwhelming lead.

She had to be acknowledged by Professor Peng Jin-ah now.

It was her dream and her idol, the one who had saved her with a black blindfold and cape.

To stand beside Peng Jin-ah instead of chasing her from behind.

That’s why she came here!

However, Ju Na-young’s will soon collapsed.
She had already overexerted herself.
She no longer had the strength to endure.
In such a situation, with [Paralysis] taking hold, even Ju Na-young couldn’t withstand it.

Thud! Ju Na-young fell.
Despair spread across her face.
Is this really the end?

I, who maintained first place throughout the training period…
Got a score worse than last place?

At the moment when tears of frustration started to form.
Yu Seha, who had closed the distance, looked down at her.
His eyes were at a loss for what to do.

“Hey, hey. Are you okay?”
“……”

‘…Young-ah, I’m furious.’

Furious. Furious!
To lose like this…

‘Damn it!’

Ju Na-young tightly shut her eyes.
She wished that Yu Seha would just disappear.
She wished he would run far away until he couldn’t be heard.

But soon, Ju Na-young’s eyes widened at the words and actions that followed.

“Ju Na-young! Pull yourself together and open your eyes! It’s not over yet!”
“Huh, what?”

With his back turned, Yu Seha bent his legs and stretched his arms backward.

Th-that stance…

“Y-you, don’t tell me…?”
“What are you doing?! At this rate, you’ll get caught by the others!”

Get on my back!