After the affair.
Leaving the fainted girl behind, I slipped out and threw myself into training and bodybuilding for a while.
I was worried at one point that Se-young, harboring resentment, might come after me with some scheme, but in the end, I wasn't reported.
Whether she was too ashamed of being raped by a human, or if she actually enjoyed it, I had no idea.
Either way, it was one of those situations where it was hard to point fingers and blame anyone.
Time passed, and the entrance exam arrived.
In the meantime, I'd devoted most of my allotted time to training.
Thanks to the workouts, a lot of the fat clinging to my body had melted away.
⚔ TRAIT UPDATE ⚔Trait: Obesity (F)A bit on the chubby side. Success with dieting will upgrade it to Average Figure (E).
From severe obesity to just obesity—a huge step forward.
I might still look like a scrub now, but my muscles were growing day by day. Soon enough, I'd have a solid physique.
The written exam was a breeze since I'd studied on and off.
The problem was my lack of real combat experience.
I had no idea how far my innate abilities would carry me.
The waiting room for the reserve cadets was shrouded in silence.
"Group E, come in."
A supervisor's low voice made the guy sitting next to me shoot to his feet.
Realizing it was almost my turn made my heart pound.
Who's my opponent gonna be?
I glanced around and my eyes landed on a woman with a cold, sunken aura.
Her soft pink bob haircut and gem-encrusted brooch made her plain face surprisingly beautiful.
"...?"
She turned her head toward me, noticing my stare. A pin on her left side held a flower matching her hair color.
Azalea.
I recalled the name from the badge on her chest.
The only daughter of the Jin family, who led Jinmok Group. The famous girl who'd graduated from Seoul Hunter Private High School this year.
"Do you have something to say to me?"
"No. I just got surprised seeing someone from the papers."
Azalea furrowed her brow slightly. Makes sense—famous people hate it when strangers talk about them.
First impressions: disastrous.
"Ah, okay."
Azalea turned her head back. Her gaze locked onto the handsome guy sitting across from her.
Jeong Si-woo. Tall and dashing. Crushing on him, maybe?
-Glare.
I must've stared too long; Azalea shot me a look. I averted my eyes and decided to just wait my turn.
"Group F, come in."
My turn came right up, and I jumped to my feet. Six of us in total, starting with me, filed into the practical exam arena.
A simple training ground covered in natural grass, with a few chairs in the center.
"Group F, all present? I'm Man Se-jeok, the examiner for this duel practical."
The examiner already seated there did a quick roll call and dove into instructions.
"Your practical is one-on-one combat. We'll judge based on reserve cadet duels, plus examiner input. Standard group's almost done, so wait for your call. First match: Jeong Seon-hu vs. Lee Ji-yeon."
Weapons: bring your own training gear, or use wooden swords or basic staves.
I was basically a blank slate, so I grabbed a decent-looking sword.
'Gun would've been nice. Damn.'
Drawing the sword and waiting my turn, I heard voices around me.
Azalea's voice, from earlier.
"Si-woo, good luck on the exam."
"We'll see. Don't cry if you face me."
"As if. You better watch out."
Azalea and Si-woo were bickering like old acquaintances.
Probably classmates from private school.
"Oh yeah, Dal-rae, how'd you do on the written?"
"Eh, so-so. It was easy."
"Yeah? What'd others think?"
Their chat spread to the others, turning the tense air rowdy.
Written exam this, practical that.
Then my name came up.
"Si-heon, right? How was it for you?"
"Me? Pretty average. Feel free to drop the formalities."
"Casual it is. Average is the hardest kind. Oh, right—you're human like me, Si-heon."
Human.
Everyone's eyes snapped to me at Si-woo's word.
"Yeah, human."
"Knew it at a glance. Let's do our best, fellow humans."
I shook his offered hand casually.
In a sea of Wood People, finding another human seemed to thrill him—his face lit up with joy.
Handsome and nice to boot. Could be a big help if we got close.
Time to make a good impression. I flashed a grin, and he said,
"Pass for sure. Hate being the only human."
I could only mutter bitterly in my head.
"Gotta pass. No choice."
Or I'd die.
-Clunk.
The door opened, and the standard group filed out.
Some were crying, killing the buzz instantly.
In the heavy silence, we stood.
"The two I named, to the arena. Lee Si-heon and Jeong Si-woo—get ready for next."
I doubted my ears at the announcement.
"How's that for luck? Go get 'em, Si-woo."
Azalea waved lightly at Si-woo, someone she knew.
"Haha..."
I mirrored his awkward laugh.
Still, another human—shouldn't be that bad, right?
Relieved inwardly, my turn came quick.
-Bang!
"Next two, enter."
We exchanged words on the way in.
"No hard feelings."
"Yeah."
Passing the two who'd just fought—win and loss written on their faces—we took positions.
Si-woo held a wooden sword in one hand, just like me.
"Warm up time. Say when ready."
"I'm good."
The examiner glanced at me.
I forced some stretches, then swung at the air a few times.
His brow furrowed faintly as he watched.
"...Ready?"
"Yes."
"Begin."
The word dropped.
A savage intent choked my throat.
Human instinct sensing defeat—I jerked my sword up instinctively, and his blade, already there, slammed mine.
-Crack!
A sound a wooden sword shouldn't make.
Splinters sprayed across my cheek and neck as it shattered.
Si-woo's sword, slicing past mine effortlessly, gathered mana and arced toward my head—
"Jeong Si-woo, stop."
The instructor's command froze him like time stopped.
His wooden sword hovered right at my throat.
"Mana use forbidden."
"Yes."
"Lee Si-heon, new weapon. Start in 10 seconds."
During the brief respite, I shook off the shock.
What the hell?
My stats—minus magic power—were around 3-4. Not bad for an incoming cadet.
But that? His moves weren't just fast—they were invisible.
Deep breaths. Drew a new wooden sword.
Thump, thump, thump.
Heart pounding.
Honestly, no chance of winning.
Not a hunch—a certainty.
Even with failure meaning death, I had no confidence.
How many seconds left? No clue.
Losing doesn't auto-fail.
If both show skill, fair examiners pass both.
But if I can't land a single hit like before? I'm done.
Can't happen. Can't die here.
"Begin."
Tenses every nerve at the call.
That sensation from before. Stay still and lose—body knows it.
-Whoosh!
Si-woo's afterimage vanishes from view.
Panic means death.
Endless instinct guides—the pressure on my shoulder focuses.
Same feel as when I blocked my throat.
Tilt head desperately.
-Bang!
Air explodes by my ear.
Razor-close swing. My senses lock on his waist amid it.
Now. Certainty surges—grip tightens, body moves on its own.
Power gathers, full force down.
-Thud!
"Hoo."
First exchange, no warning: one point to me.
Against a monster, no less.
After that, my mind took the reins.
"...!"
Each time his strike came, my body moved unnaturally sharply. His blade grazed where my waist bent.
Turn at the oddity—sword always there.
-Thwack!
"Ugh!"
Only a few exchanges. A torso hit sent me sprawling.
My stamina couldn't sustain.
"Winner: Jeong Si-woo. Results posted on site tomorrow. Dismissed."
"You're impressive. See you later."
Si-woo tossed the line and left.
See you later? What the hell does that mean?
Chuckle as I rose. Seconds of clashing, but soaked in sweat.
Lost.
Straightening up and exiting, Azalea and Si-woo were chatting exam talk.
"You won?"
"Obviously."
"Knew it."
Azalea smirked like she'd believed it all along. Not aimed at me, but it stung.
'Damn, that pisses me off.'
One more reason to get strong.
"Si-heon, your result—"
"It's fine."
"Si-heon, right? Good work."
"Yeah, you too, Dal-rae."
Brushed off their goodbyes and left the arena.
Restless and hollow, I wandered the halls.
What'd Azalea say? Stood under a light, replaying it.
'Good work, not see you later.'
Like we'd never meet again.
Fair—Si-woo was that strong.
Bitter, I pursed my lips and donned my mask for ID check.
Then a voice from behind.
"Eek!"
Familiar shriek.
Whirled around—a busty woman stared wide-eyed.
Shock at her face, double at her name tag.
Lee Se-young [Supervisor, Instructor]
No change.
Hah. Hahaha—even if the sky falls, there's a hole for me. Laughter bubbled up.
"Hey. Don't I look familiar?"
"Y-you... after what you did to me, you shameless—!"
⚙ TRAIT ACTIVATED ⚙Anger Management Disorder (F) has activated.
"What 'did'? Innocent human gets jumped, heirloom snatched by some psycho chick—not your line."
Brushed off Se-young's outburst. Grandpa mention? Lie to seize conversational high ground.
But she raised her voice, undeterred.
"Everyone'd see you're the guilty one if they knew what you did!"
"Says the one threatening with family name."
Se-young's face flushed red-purple.
Her narrowed eyes under furrowed brows looked murderous enough to scare a toddler.
Still, no fear. She'd let me off after that day.
"Teachers here can mess with innocents, huh?"
"Hah. Your mistake."
Stepped close, eye to eye.
She swatted my hand viciously, yelling.
"One word from me, and you're dead—"
Licked my lips.
'Lewd Demon' and 'Blessing of the Lewd Tree' urged it.
"—Mmph."
"You and me, both at fault, right?"
"..."
"Need Tree Pills? I'll hook you up."
She caught on, eyebrows rising.
"Think I know what you want. No way. You know how strict the academy is on this?"
"Help me out."
"Crazy bastard..."
"Spit it out. Written's mostly aced anyway."
"Mostly? Hilarious. El Academy written's brutal."
"That? High school level."
"What? Even cadets struggle!"
True story.
Compared to my old world, it was easy—middle school tier, exaggerated.
"Anyway, let's get along."
"You'll fail."
"Don't say that. Pass me, three Tree Pills. For real."
"Three..."
Se-young gulped.
Tree Pills: prime trade bait. Good intel.
Left her pondering, lips tight.
Laid all cards—now fate decides.
And the next day.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Cadet Lee Si-heon has PASSED. Admission Rank: 152/154
I passed.