Chapter 14: The Death Game Begins

Chapter 14

“…Geon-woo?”

“It’s your name, isn’t it? Yoon Geon-woo.”

I countered, implying the obvious, but his only reply was an incredulous scoff.

“Now you’re really pushing it, aren’t you? Don’t act so familiar with me.”

Considering he didn’t immediately launch into expletives, his attitude seemed to have softened subtly. Was dropping his surname and calling him ‘Geon-woo’ really such a big deal? His behavior made me want to call him ‘Mr. Yoon-ie’ instead, but I had barely managed to restrain myself. Pursing my lips, I skillfully completed the safety check.

“We’re a team, first and foremost. That means we should get closer than we are now.”

As I handed over the now-checked taser gun, voicing my mild complaint, Yoon Geon-woo warned me to stop spouting nonsense. But I couldn’t back down now, so I persisted, undeterred, trying to cling to him once more.

“Geon-woo… Alright, Yoon Geon-woo. Listen. They say teamwork is crucial for a cross-class, right? But if we can’t get closer, and I can’t even call you by your name, then what *can* we do?”

“Just don’t do anything.”

“I’m just trying to get a little closer to you… It’s not like I’m asking us to hold hands and hug.”

“Why would I do something like that with you?”

His sullen reply left me inwardly frustrated. But what could I do? The thirsty one must dig the well, after all. I forced a smile and spoke again.

“We *could*… if we get closer later.”

‘Think about it, Yoon Geon-woo! We might only be a nominal pair, but we’re already officially recognized by the SAA, aren’t we? If we become closer than we are now, we could regularly guide each other by holding hands or hugging, even if it’s not high-level guiding. Frequently enough that you wouldn’t need to inject that damned Helper Killer into your body. If that happens, Yoon Geon-woo’s body, with its high-risk contamination level, would stabilize, and I’d have one less thing to worry about. Perfect.’ I held onto my grand plan and looked up at him as if seeking his agreement. However, contrary to my expectations, Yoon Geon-woo coldly shook his head.

“Dream on. I have no intention of doing anything like that with you.”

His firm refusal made me realize that pressing him further today would be futile.

‘Whether it was Yoon Geon-woo or just Geon-woo, that wasn’t what truly mattered. What I always needed to remember was my objective: to reach a position where I could guide him.’

I rationalized it to myself: this was merely a strategic retreat for a brighter future.

“Alright. Still… if you ever change your mind, just say the word. You’re always welcome.”

‘If only you’d allow it, I would guide you with all my might and utmost care.’

Despite my compliant nod, agreeing to his terms, Yoon Geon-woo still wore a complicated expression.

Meanwhile, the Esper teacher verbally directed the entire group, while the Guide teacher meticulously checked in with students, moving between them to ensure no one had difficulties. Naturally, my team and Park Hyeon-seo’s team had already had their taser guns checked by me.

****

Having completed a round of the training ground, the Guide teacher walked over to where we stood. As the teacher’s gaze swept between Yoon Geon-woo and me, his expression immediately began to sour.

“You’re already done here? No difficulties?”

Though the Guide teacher’s question seemed aimed at Yoon Geon-woo, his condition didn’t look good, so I stepped forward to answer instead.

“Yes, everything’s fine.”

“Everyone finished skillfully. Good, there’s nothing more to do.”

Despite the Guide teacher’s subtly suspicious gaze, hearing praise for our ‘perfection’ made me feel a little smug. When I turned to Yoon Geon-woo with a proud expression, his eyes instantly turned menacing.

‘He didn’t say it aloud, but he must have been suspecting some collusion between the teacher and me. What on earth did that Director do to make him so on edge?’

Just as I mused that it would take some time to clear up the misunderstanding, the Esper teacher’s voice echoed from the platform.

“Alright, it seems all checks are complete. We will now commence the full-scale cross-class.”

The Esper teacher stood holding a practice taser gun. Beside him, the Guide teacher had also ascended the platform, and their posture, leaning back-to-back, exuded a vivid sense of battlefield readiness. ‘The teachers must have deliberately adopted that basic entry stance to convey such an impression.’

“Would any students with experience being dispatched to a Gate please raise their hands?”

Having entered high school, A-rank Espers or higher were often dispatched to lower-tier Gates, so there were bound to be experienced individuals in this graduating class. Sure enough, several students from Esper Class 1, including Yoon Geon-woo, raised their hands. Among the students of Guide Class 3, of course, Han Seon-ho, an A-rank Guide, was the only one to raise his hand.

“Hmm, this will make explanations quicker.”

Counting the number of raised hands, the Esper teacher smiled with satisfaction. Setting aside the number of experienced personnel, among a mere thirty to forty students, there were five precious A-rank Espers and one A-rank Guide. Add to that the S-rank Yoon Geon-woo, and it must be a pleasure to teach.

“As SAA members, the Gates you were allowed to enter were likely C or D-rank. Since you’re still students, you would have been assigned a Central pair and conducted subjugations as a team.”

Students dispatched to Gates were, quite literally, honor students who had surpassed a certain level. However, Gates are often mysterious domains where unforeseen events can occur, aren’t they? Therefore, for safety, they were sent to Gates several ranks below their actual ability, going in groups. This could be seen as a measure to protect the budding talents who would one day belong to Central. In other words, what students had experienced so far was merely a ‘this is what a Gate is like’ level of exposure.

“When you were dispatched to a Gate, you typically received missions to eliminate demonic beasts or locate and destroy the Gate’s core. Even if you entered as a team, combat would have been conducted individually based on capability.”

The Esper teacher, too, spoke with greater conviction, having memories of leading SAA students through lower-tier Gates. No matter how low-ranked a Gate, those with abilities who first set foot inside are bound to be astonished. Because a single real-world experience often resonates more profoundly than a hundred repetitions of theory and practice.

“Today’s class will be different from anything you’ve experienced so far. The Esper and Guide selected as a team must move as if they are one body. And of course, be aware that the two individuals in a team will receive the same class score.”

As soon as the Esper teacher finished speaking, a murmur rippled through the training ground. To think that a Guide and an Esper, who had barely exchanged a few words, would have to move as one body! Furthermore, if scores were to be treated equally, it was a rule that made one wonder why, aside from the awkwardness between pairs, such a system was necessary. From the Espers’ perspective, since they possessed superior physical abilities compared to Guides, this scoring method would surely feel unfair.

‘However, having experienced the cross-class before my regression, I considered this to be entirely natural. And it had to be, because the cross-class included in the shooting practice was…’

“The basic course for the shooting cross-class will proceed as a multi-stage Death Game.”

The Esper teacher’s voice then resonated.

‘Here it is. The highlight of shooting practice.’

Perhaps it was the ominous implication of the word ‘death.’ The murmuring inside the training ground instantly fell silent, and all eyes turned to the teachers. A game of death where both Espers and Guides, their abilities sealed, would compete solely with their trained bodies and shooting skills. As it was literally a shooting class, it was a high-difficulty practical session specifically designed to improve taser gun proficiency. At first glance, one might argue that this curriculum was hugely disadvantageous for Espers, who could use their abilities, but the reality was different.

‘Because the utility of shooting practice wasn’t about that.’

There aren’t many classes that both Esper and Guide classes attend together. Even fewer regular subjects overlapped. This meant that shooting practice held high importance for both. The fact that they even brought in high-ranking Central pairs to open this cross-class spoke volumes.

“The reason for the Death Game is to prepare for situations where Espers cannot use their abilities.”

“Um… Teacher! Aren’t those situations quite rare?”

“I said I’d take questions all at once.”

Though the temporary Esper class representative expressed doubt, the Esper teacher gently cautioned him. The teacher then looked around at the puzzled students and continued speaking.

“Such situations could include being dispatched to an ability-nullifying Gate, or when an accompanying Guide becomes unable to provide guiding.”

The Esper teacher glanced at their own pair standing beside them and took a deep breath. Then, furrowing their brow as if recalling something unpleasant, they continued.

“Because Espers who forcibly use their abilities without receiving guiding are no different from ticking time bombs with lit fuses.”

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