Chapter 34: Antlion Pit The morning of the fifth day. August appears before us.
He glances at the deep tunnel we've bored into the earth, then looks back at me with his usual expressionless face.
"From this moment on, there is only one objective: survive until you are the last one standing. Attacks are now permitted."
Finally, it's here.
I've spent the last few days digging like a madman. We had people working in shifts twenty-four hours a day to create a tunnel just wide enough for two adults to walk shoulder to shoulder.
We practically gave up on the rest of the exam to dig this damn hole; if the scenario had played out differently than the game, I would've been beyond pissed.
"The longer you survive, the more survival points you earn. However, elimination points are also significant, so I hope to see you take the initiative. Though I suspect this group might feel otherwise."
"But if there are survival points, won't everyone just avoid fighting?"
"Indeed. That is why there is a penalty. Among students who fail to eliminate an opponent within an eighteen-hour window, red spots will randomly appear on the backs of their hands. Do not worry—it won't kill you."
No, it'll just hurt like hell.
In a deathmatch like this, there have to be rules that force or encourage players to attack one another. Otherwise, everyone just plays it safe, and the game gets stale.
In a certain famous game, they use a shrinking magnetic field to force players into one spot. Here, while it's not a hard requirement, those red spots serve as the bait for conflict.
He said it was random, so it's unlikely the entire group will get hit at once, but if more than one person is unlucky enough to get tagged, they'll immediately become prey. Everyone else will want to clear their own penalty as quickly as possible, so they'll hunt down those tagged groups the moment they find them.
Since everyone has already pointed a weapon at someone else during the previous trials, they won't hesitate to attack now.
"The student with the spots will experience a fair amount of pain, and their location will be revealed to all other students."
"Does the penalty last until they eliminate another student?"
"No. It disappears after six hours. However, the selection process repeats every six hours, so if you're unlucky, you could suffer the penalty indefinitely."
As long as Chika and Yukina don't get hit at the same time, we should be fine. Though, given how much the universe loves to screw me over, they probably will.
"Are there any more questions? This will be the last time you see me during the exam. For the next three days, you will receive no assistance, so ask now if you are curious."
Mio and Rio ask a few questions, but nothing out of the ordinary. I can't reveal that I already know the exam's contents, and I haven't told anyone about the penalty beforehand.
I've already discussed what to do once the deathmatch starts, so as long as they don't panic over the penalty, everyone should gather here.
"Then, I wish you all high scores. I shall see you back at Yggdrasil."
The moment August vanishes, we spring into action as planned. Chika and Luis keep watch on the perimeter while the rest of us move our supplies into the cave.
We've already stashed the food in the deepest part; what's left at the base are materials for barricades and things to obstruct the entrance.
I hope the other groups bring some food with them. No matter how hard we worked, it was impossible to dig a tunnel and secure enough food to feed everyone at the same time.
"Group 5 is here."
At Chika's call, I look up to see Yukina's group running toward us from the distance.
"Get inside and unpack. Hand the food and tools to the others so they can sort them out."
"Got it."
Acting cool in front of the others, Yukina gives a short reply and brushes past me.
Jade shoots me a sly smirk as she passes. What's that supposed to mean? Is she flirting? Or did she hear about how I was all over Yukina the other day?
Now's not the time for that.
As we continue our preparations, Group 3 arrives.
"Sorry… Han-byeol and Edwin were taken out…"
"I'm just glad the rest of you made it. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I was just too careless…"
Mary furrows her elegant brows, looking as if she blames herself for losing her teammates on the way here.
The match has barely started and people are already being eliminated? There must be some pretty aggressive types out there.
I usher the exhausted Mary and her teammates inside. Once everyone planned for is accounted for, Chika stands beside me.
"Don't you dare kill me and run off to Akito after I've come all this way."
"…Do I really look like that kind of scumbag to you?"
To be honest, I was a little nervous when she stood next to me.
The biggest risk of camping is betrayal. Even if we can hold the entrance, we're watching the outside, not the inside. If we get backstabbed while our guard is down, we're done for, especially without our mana barriers.
Chika scowls in annoyance and looks away.
"I'm in your group right now. I don't do underhanded things like that."
"Thanks."
"Not betraying you is common sense, not something to be thanked for."
For a 'mad dog,' she's surprisingly principled.
Feeling genuinely grateful toward Chika, I fire the Eye of Yullat into the sky.
Master Frey, thank you so much. I've put every spell you taught me to good use.
The Turtle Breathing Technique and the Eye of Yullat—if I lacked even one of them, this would have been twice as hard.
My proficiency with the Eye of Yullat has improved enough that I can somewhat control its altitude now. It's still high up, but it's low enough that I can recognize people if I'm familiar with them.
The dense forest makes it hard to see, so I focus on anything moving quickly between the trees.
I thought we would have drawn attention after two days of constant construction, but surprisingly, no one is heading our way yet. Maybe they think we're too hard to crack and are targeting easier prey first.
And then…
"Hahahaha!"
"What's wrong with you? Have you lost it?"
Chika glares at me, but I can't stop laughing. Of course I can't. How could I not laugh at this?
"Were you an outcast or something?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Akito and Shiori's groups have teamed up."
"… …"
You hypocritical bastard. You acted all high and mighty about fairness and equality to me, but behind the scenes, you're playing house with Shiori?
Chika's face pales with shock at the news that Akito has teamed up with Shiori and the samurai, leaving her out.
They soon disappear behind the trees, so I can't be certain of their destination, but Akito's group is definitely running somewhere alongside Shiori's. At the very least, it means they won't be fighting each other for now, unlike the other students who attack on sight.
I expected as much. Where else would our indecisive Mr. Akito go, given his weakness for the heroines?
If Shiori used the 'little sister' card and acted stubborn, Akito would have no choice but to give in.
'I can't attack you, Brother. Just kill me and go.'
'Shiori… this is an exam.'
'Even if it is, I simply cannot bring myself to strike my own brother. How could I…?'
'I can't attack you either… because I'm your brother.'
'Brother! ♡'
Wow… I can practically hear the dialogue without even being there.
They probably teamed up because of some forced plot point like that. Just you wait until you come near our cave. I'm going to mock you for the rest of your life for rejecting my proposal.
I hold my stick to my lips and cast an amplification spell.
"THERE ARE CLASS A STUDENTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF!!!"
Oh, I didn't realize there were still so many birds left. I should have hunted some for food.
My voice, bolstered by magic, booms across the entire island. A flock of birds takes flight all at once. Even if people don't know the exact location, they'll find the cave soon enough if they head toward where the birds were startled.
Come on then, gather 'round. I'll be your bait.
Gather up and beat the living daylights out of each other.
Having broadcasted our location, I head into the cave with Chika.
*
Yoshihiro of Class B, Group 5, moves separately from his teammates to scout the area.
Even before entering Yggdrasil, he had dreamed of a career specializing in information gathering and reconnaissance, and he had honed his abilities accordingly.
Capable of stealthy movement, he is most efficient when operating independently. Currently, the rest of Group 5 is waiting in a safe location for Yoshihiro to return with intel.
Camouflaged by magic to blend into his surroundings, Yoshihiro perches atop a tall tree and looks toward the direction where the birds had suddenly taken flight.
It is definitely the area where Class A, Group 4's camp was located.
Having already mapped out the bases of the other groups, Yoshihiro hesitates for a moment before moving toward it.
Few students expected a deathmatch, but everyone anticipated that Yggdrasil would pull something. The nature of the deserted island, the survival theme, the harmless but exhausting trials, and then the sudden string of exams that drained both physical strength and mana—the other students had caught on and started being cautious.
Yoshihiro had been keeping a close eye on the other groups since then and had discovered that Seo Yeon-woo was trying to unite Class A.
'The main targets in Class A are Akito, Angelica, Ailee, Shiori, Chika, Yukina… and Kurumi.'
On a side note, as a ninja otaku, he harbors a secret crush on the samurai, Kurumi, who follows Akito. Using his stealth and infiltration skills, he has secretly taken numerous photos of her—enough to fill an entire album at home.
After a brief moment of dazing off while thinking of Kurumi, Yoshihiro shakes his head to clear his mind and heads toward Class A, Group 4's location.
Yoshihiro, who had fought alongside Akito during the entrance ceremony test, still hasn't forgotten the face of the madman who charged at the base.
Unfortunately, he had been the first victim of Seo Yeon-woo's suicide attack and had to endure Chika's verbal abuse for failing to protect a single objective.
And then there was Kurumi's cold gaze…
This was his chance to settle the grudge he held against Seo Yeon-woo.
'Groups 1, 2, and 7 of Class A refused to join hands with Seo Yeon-woo… So the ones to watch out for are Chika and Yukina…'
Now that it's an individual free-for-all, groups don't technically matter anymore. However, the trust built up so far and the difficulty of surviving alone keep the groups functioning as single units.
Clinging to the hope that Chika, who likes Akito, might have split off, Yoshihiro inspects the cave.
That construction had been so noisy. The camps in the vicinity had to relocate because they couldn't sleep through the sound of Group 4's digging.
'They must have prepared that much more thoroughly.'
He doesn't like Seo Yeon-woo, but the guy's cunning is no joke.
Personal grudges aside, one must kill their emotions when infiltrating enemy territory. Yoshihiro composes himself, checks for any presence nearby, and observes the entrance.
As if welcoming visitors, the area near the entrance is lit with magical lights. However, the narrow, deep tunnel grows darker the further in it goes, and nothing can be seen in the shadows beyond.
'If I go in, I'm dead.'
Yoshihiro smirks at the structure, which practically screams its intent to turtle up.
Dying is for ordinary students; it doesn't apply to him. Confident in his hiding skills above all else, Yoshihiro steps inside without hesitation.
Blending into the terrain with magic, Yoshihiro advances inch by inch to avoid detection.
One step, then another.
Though he is camouflaged like a chameleon, rapid movement would inevitably be noticed. He patiently takes one slow step at a time into the depths of the cave.
"… …"
As he continues, he stops, sensing something strange.
No matter how far he goes, the passage seems endless. He has already traveled quite deep, yet there is no sign of people gathering, nor any sound of human presence.
Just as he begins to wonder if the cave is a decoy and they are actually elsewhere, he sees a faint blue light emanating from deep within the passage.
Ghost Fire.
The moment he sees it, he thinks of Yukina's blue flames and immediately turns to run.
But in a straight, narrow passage, there is nowhere to hide.
The faint blue light instantly erupts into a massive wall of fire that fills the tunnel, chasing after Yoshihiro until it consumes him.
"Aaaaagh!"
The cave entrance becomes like the maw of a dragon, spewing blue flames along with Yoshihiro's pitiful scream before falling silent.
Though he survived the powerful magic, the impact leaves Yoshihiro collapsed on the cave floor, unable to flee any further.
Skreeee—
The sound of metal scraping against the floor draws closer. Soon, a baseball bat is slammed down right in front of his face. Clang!
Yoshihiro looks up and meets the eyes of Yeon-woo, who is leaning on the bat and looking down at him.
"Welcome, Mr. Walking Cure. Now, you have two choices."
"I… I won't betray my team."
"Who said anything about betrayal? You die either way."
Then why give him a choice? Yeon-woo laughs at the confusion in Yoshihiro's eyes.
"Option one: you get beaten to a pulp here, get dragged away unable to resist, and die later. I won't give you food or water, and you'll suffer in pain for a day or two. It's a bit inhumane, so I don't recommend it."
"… …"
"Option two: I'll give you some medical treatment and treat you like a proper prisoner of war, so don't resist. I'll still kill you in the end, but you can stay comfortable until you become my cure. Which will it be?"
This man was even more terrifying than he had imagined.
Yoshihiro finally understood why he wasn't being killed right now.
It was still a long way off from the eighteen-hour mark when the penalty would trigger. Yeon-woo didn't plan on killing him now; he planned to keep him alive as long as possible.
A 'walking cure' for the red spots. It was a perfectly fitting term.
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