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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Worst Team (1)
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Kang Do-hee stared down at the stubbed-out cigarette and scratched her head.
"Damn it, and it was a twin."
She turned her gaze to me, clearly annoyed.
"Hey, what's your deal?"
Kang Do-hee spoke to me informally right from the start.
Well, I guess I should do the same.
"Jin Yu-ha."
"What?"
"You asked who I was."
Taken aback by my reply, Kang Do-hee burst out laughing for a moment, then immediately sobered up and growled.
"I don't know what you're trying to get out of this, but if you want to butter someone up, go do it to the flower-brained types who care about that. I'm not interested in that kind of stuff."
I admired her blunt naming sense.
'Ah. Chun Hwa, 'Thousand Flowers,' so she's 'Flower Garden.' Interesting nickname.'
It's truly rare for anyone to speak to Shin Se-hee like that.
It takes real courage to say something different when everyone else is praising her.
'Of course, I don't care about that kind of thing either.'
My only concern is getting Kang Do-hee to join my party.
I nodded.
"I don't like women with flowers in their heads. Especially if those flowers are poisonous weeds."
Kang Do-hee's eyes widened slightly.
But then she let out a scoff.
"Ha, so. You don't like that flower-brained type, so you're trying to latch onto me instead?"
"What are you talking about? Is your ego too big?"
I frowned at her words.
"...What!?"
"I don't need any of that. I just want to be friends. Friends. I have no intention of latching onto you."
I extended my hand to her.
"...Friends?"
Kang Do-hee's face showed a bewildered expression, as if she'd never heard such a word in her life.
"Ha, this guy's really funny, isn't he? Friends?"
*Smack!*
Kang Do-hee's hand roughly slapped mine.
"Sorry, but if you want to play friends with me, don't you have to be worth it? Quota?"
Ugh, damn it, she hit me lightly, but my palm still stings.
Indeed, even if I boosted my stats with resource investment, the difference between a natural 5-star and a natural 1-star is too significant to ignore.
I'm currently about 4-star in terms of stats.
I waved my hand, trying to cool the stinging sensation.
"So prickly. What's so special about friends? Are you some kind of big deal?"
Of course, she *is* a big deal, but she pathologically hates being praised or fawned over.
"Crazy bastard... You're lucky you're a guy, or else."
Kang Do-hee stared at me in disbelief, then shook her head and turned her back, walking away.
Of course, no matter what, we still had to go together.
After all, we're assembling at the same place in 30 minutes, aren't we?
"Let's go together, friend."
"Get lost!"
* * *
Training Ground C, the building right next to the auditorium.
Unlike other training grounds, this place was an enclosed space on all sides. It seemed they were worried about us attracting attention from other cadets.
Apart from me and Kang Do-hee, three others had already arrived.
When I arrived with Kang Do-hee, Shin Se-hee looked at me with meaningful eyes.
I avoided her gaze and turned my head towards the training instructor.
The instructor assigned to us was the same emotionless-faced female supervisor.
"Everyone is on time."
She spoke casually, as if she didn't use honorifics during training.
"Today is the first day, so we will conclude with an announcement of future training schedules and a skill assessment for the special admission students."
Apparently, the male quota system didn't even require a skill assessment.
'A little disappointing.'
I clicked my tongue.
"Here, take one of these."
The instructor handed out a sheet of paper she had brought.
It was packed with the training schedule.
Weekdays all followed the same routine.
Wake up at 7 AM, breakfast until 8 AM.
Basic training from 8 AM to 12 PM.
Lunch from 12 PM to 1 PM.
Position training from 1 PM to 6 PM.
Dinner from 6 PM to 7 PM.
Joint training from 7 PM to 10 PM.
And from the weekend, when other students' position training ended, sparring with other teams was scheduled.
A murderous schedule of only training and eating, repeated endlessly. Even weekends offered no proper rest.
Shin Se-hee looked a little weary but nodded, while Kang Do-hee simply checked the times and stuffed the paper into her pocket, as if it was no problem at all.
However, the two other men who were selected with me seemed to have different thoughts.
"Instructor! T-This is absurd!"
"How can a person live like this!"
The instructor's gaze turned cold as she looked at them.
"You were admitted through the quota system. Without any effort, simply because you are male."
"Even so...!"
"B-But this is ridiculous!"
"It seems you think this Velvet Hunter Academy is a joke. Is it because you came without even taking an exam?"
Her voice seemed to carry deep-seated anger.
"This kind of schedule is hard? Yes, I suppose it is for those who've never trained themselves."
The instructor let out a breath and swept her hair back.
"It's only three weeks. You can't even endure that and you expect to become cadets of the Velvet Hunter Academy?"
She was right.
The Velvet Hunter Academy was originally famous for its rigorous entrance exams.
And these individuals came without even taking a single test.
If they couldn't even pass this level of training, the perception of the quota system would surely worsen.
"Haa, damn it. What was that woman thinking..."
The instructor muttered to herself and let out a deep sigh.
Then she pressed her temples and spoke in a slightly subdued voice.
"...Still, you won't undergo the same training schedule as the special admission students. I know you shouldn't, and you can't. I intend to make reasonable allowances. So, stop complaining."
At that, the two male cadets, though still clearly discontent, fell silent.
'So that's how this Jin Yu-ha guy survived the training period.'
I had wondered how this Mola Mola-like idiot managed to handle the same schedule as the special admission students, but it seemed they were making allowances for him.
'But is that really okay?'
I raised my hand.
The instructor's gaze turned to me.
"What is it, you again? Still complaining even though I said I'd make allowances? If so, just get o—"
"No. It's not that."
I interrupted her.
"Then what is it?"
"I want to train with the special admission students."
"...What?"
"Didn't you say it was joint training to begin with? If you make allowances like this, one by one, what's the point of joint training?"
At that, the two male cadets glared at me as if they wanted to kill me, but what could I do?
"Joint training has no point?"
The black-haired, bob-cut instructor's eyes changed slightly.
"Yes, I understood this training as an opportunity to observe and learn from the special admission students. But if we don't even experience it together, what can we observe and learn?"
"...Your courage is commendable. But it's recklessness. You and they started from completely different baselines."
"I know. But I still want to try."
A brief silence fell, and the instructor, who had been looking at me with calm eyes, nodded as if it wasn't a bad idea.
"Ha, fine. I'll allow it. But if you ever feel you can't do it, feel free to give up. ...You, what was your name again?"
"Jin Yu-ha."
"Then, do the other two share the same idea?"
The guys looked like they'd rather die, but there was no way they could say no here.
"...Yes, yes."
"Ah, I understand. I'll do my best."
"Alright, that concludes the schedule announcement. Now, we will immediately proceed with the special admission students' skill assessment."
The instructor pulled out a pen and a notebook.
"Shin Se-hee, step forward."
"Yes~"
She came forward gracefully, her long, straight hair swaying.
"Your position is Special. Mage. Is that correct?"
"Yes! That's right!"
"Manifest and maintain an appropriate spell."
At her words, Shin Se-hee extended both hands forward.
"Hyaat!"
*Wooong—*
With a short exclamation, blue magic flowed gently from her fingertips, and a geometric magic circle began to arrange itself in front of her hands.
Then, a fireball formed in the air.
Despite the distance, a searing heat washed over us.
"...Hmm, manifestation speed, purity of magic, form, sustainment. Pass. All that's left is power."
The instructor watched it carefully and wrote in her notebook.
"Shoot it towards that open space."
The instructor pointed to the center of the training ground.
"Yes~! Hya!"
Shin Se-hee replied with a clear voice and drew her index finger through the air.
The fireball flew and landed in the open space.
*KABOOOM—!!!*
A huge explosion roared in our ears, and dust billowed.
The two male cadets watched, their eyes wide.
Kang Do-hee clicked her tongue.
'Indeed, mages are definitely an overpowered class for dealing with trash mobs.'
The instructor stroked her chin and nodded with satisfaction.
"You even added an explosion attribute."
"Yes!"
"Impressive. Truly befitting a special admission student. You pass."
"Thank you."
Shin Se-hee bowed and returned to her spot.
"Next... Kang Do-hee. Step forward."
"Yes."
"Your position is Dealer. Fighter type, using fist and leg techniques, correct?"
"Yes."
*Thud.*
The instructor put down her paper and pen and took a stance.
"Then I'll have to be your opponent. Come at me."
*Paaang—!*
The moment her words ended, the sound of tearing air erupted.
Without waiting for a start signal, Kang Do-hee launched herself at the instructor.
And then.
*Crack!*
*Smash!*
*Boom!*
*Thud!*
*CRASH!!!*
The sound of the instructor and Kang Do-hee clashing wasn't a mere scuffle, but a series of massive explosions.
*Swoosh!*
*Thud.*
*THWACK!!!*
Magic-clad bodies exchanged fierce blows.
"C-Crazy."
"Monster..."
The male cadets were now standing with their mouths agape, sweating profusely.
'It's understandable.'
They probably couldn't even see Kang Do-hee and the instructor's movements.
Their movements were so swift, as if their hands and feet had vanished.
The destructive power of each blow was similar to the fireball Shin Se-hee had just thrown.
'You'd have to be this strong to make crazy claims about taking down monsters several times larger than humans with your bare fists.'
Of course, I could see it.
The exchanging fists and elbows, the flexible and powerful movements of their legs swinging through the air.
Kang Do-hee seemed to be almost on par with the instructor.
'Hmm, but she's still in her pure state... And she hasn't even used her berserk state? Yet she's on par with the instructor? Ah, the instructor probably isn't a fighter type.'
Even so, it was astonishing that a newly admitted cadet possessed skills comparable to an active academy instructor who had undergone professional training.
*CRASH!*
*Boom!*
*Clang!*
*THWACK!!!!!!!*
Fist met fist.
A faint tremor ran through the ground, and the two stood frozen in that position.
The instructor, who released her stance first, wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"...Hoo, no need for further words. Amazing."
She spoke with a look of unprecedented satisfaction.
"Hah. Hah. Yes! Thank you!"
At her words, Kang Do-hee seemed a little tired but quickly corrected her posture and bowed respectfully.
I smiled slightly at the sight.
'Is she acknowledging her because she has similar skills?'
Kang Do-hee probably knew that the instructor wasn't the same fighter type as her.
Yet, she had similar skills, so she must have been secretly surprised.
"That concludes today's schedule. Everyone, return to your assigned dorms to rest, and make sure you're not late tomorrow."
* * *
On the way back to the dorms.
The two male cadets who had passed through the quota system rushed at me.
"You! What were you thinking!?"
"What were you trying to do, telling us to train with those monsters!? I can't do it!!!"
'Idiots.'
I stared coldly at those who blocked my path.
It's truly exasperating to see these guys whine like this just because things might get a little tough for them.
'Anyway, she said it was fine to give up if we couldn't do it.'
Seriously, maybe men should go to the military. Then they'd learn to follow orders without question.
"Why, you guys said it was fine too."
"Then how were we supposed to say no there!?"
"Damn it, if you hadn't said that!"
'Do I really have to be in a team with these kinds of guys?'
Now, at this moment, I perfectly understood why Kang Do-hee had looked at them like they were bugs.
Grand Sage, you were wrong this time.
Out of five people, three are trash.
Of course, one of them is a different *kind* of trash, but still.
"So, what. What do you want, you bastards?"
I said, full of irritation.
"Aren't you guys ashamed?"
"...What!?"
"...You, right now!"
"I'm already damn ashamed to have gotten in through the quota system, but if you act like this, it'll make us look even better, right?"
I took a step forward.
They took a step back.
Guys who got in through the quota system are only this much.
"Whether you want to do it or not, frankly, it has nothing to do with me. She even said you can give up if you can't do it, so I don't know what your problem is."
"But—!"
"..."
The guys fell silent, as if speechless.
Yes, they'd be ashamed. They could never admit that they were afraid of just that one day's taste of training.
'But then, every weekend, I'll have to team up with these guys and fight other teams...'
Most likely, there would be quite a severe penalty for our team.
Honestly, with just Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hee, no other team would be able to beat ours.
The Gukbap team might last a bit, but only a bit.
They'd probably nerf the special admission students, claiming it wouldn't be a fair assessment for a teamwork evaluation.
I clicked my tongue.
"Hey, you guys. It's fine to freeload, but do you know what the average mortality rate for students here is?"
That was the thing that surprised me the most after I fell into this world.
Velvet S is a game that shows the cute and happy daily lives of strong and beautiful girls, so it never depicts students dying.
Even if you lose in the game, everyone is taken to the infirmary; they don't die.
And if you retry, they're perfectly fine as if nothing happened.
That's why I never even considered it.
The Velvet Academy's mortality rate.
"Every year, 10% of a cohort ends up in a coffin. Of course, you get treated well if you graduate, but one out of ten dies because they can't endure it. So, who do you think will be in that 10%? I, for one, have no intention of being among them."
I pointed at the two men alternately.
"Think carefully. Whether you guys can even leave this academy alive if you keep acting like this. If you're thinking of just getting in easily and graduating easily, it's better to quit now."
"..."
"..."
I left the two men with their idiotic expressions and headed to the dorms.
Meanwhile, a little distance away.
"As expected, he's interesting, that man."
Shin Se-hee let out a soft hum, observing Jin Yu-ha's retreating back.
"I wondered why he looked at me that way from the start... He was more interesting than I thought, wasn't he?"