CCTnovel Chapter 106 : Chapter 106
Chapter 106 : Chapter 106
Chapter 106. Even When Defeat Is Certain (2)
While Choi Yu-seong was tied down by Baek Ha-seong, things were moving at a frantic pace where Kim Su-hyeok was stationed.
"These brats just don't know when to quit!"
"Die!!"
The villains had gathered one by one until they formed a significant force. Every last one of them lunged forward, intent on slaughtering the cadets, while the students fought back with everything they had.
"Injured, fall back! We have to stay bunched up to stand a chance!"
Kim Su-hyeok’s voice rang out through the chaos. Even as he shouted orders, he kept his eyes moving, constantly scanning the battlefield. It was then that a shadow loomed.
"You son of a—!"
In the split second Kim Su-hyeok’s attention wavered, a villain lunged at him. Fortunately, the blow never landed.
SLICE!
A cadet had immediately stepped in to intercept the attack. Kim Su-hyeok looked at his savior with a nod of gratitude.
"Ji-ho, thanks!"
"Don't mention it. We are only holding out this long because of you."
The cadet was Hwang Ji-ho. It was true that people like Kim Su-hyeok and Ryu Jin-oh were exceptionally powerful, but they weren't the only ones who could hold their own.
After all, who were these people? Despite the constant string of incidents, they were still students of Glory, the most prestigious academy in the land. The top-ranked cadets among them were more than capable of pulling their own weight.
'But...'
Kim Su-hyeok’s expression did not brighten. Even if the top-tier students were doing their jobs, they didn't represent the whole group. Although they were pushing themselves to the limit to hold the line, they couldn't stop the mounting number of injuries.
'I suppose it is inevitable.'
No matter how prestigious the school, a cadet was still just a cadet. In terms of raw experience, they were bound to be at a disadvantage. It was a miracle in itself that no one had died yet, thanks to the heroics of a select few.
'But we cannot keep going like this.'
It might be fine for the moment because the villains were acting individually rather than cooperating. However, hoping that would last forever was wishful thinking. As the battle dragged on, the villains would eventually change their approach. And that wasn't the only problem.
'The sun is completely down now.'
Unlike earlier, when there was still a hint of twilight, it was now pitch black. Naturally, the cadets weren't accustomed to fighting in the dark. The villains, on the other hand, would be right at home in these conditions.
'What on earth should I do?'
They couldn't stay on the defensive forever. Yet, there was no obvious way to turn the tide. What was the right move in a situation like this?
'Would Yu-seong have thought of something?'
He was a friend who always managed to pull a surprise out of his sleeve, even when he looked like he wasn't doing much. If he were here, would he have found a way to flip the script? Just as these complex thoughts began to overwhelm Kim Su-hyeok’s mind...
BOOM!!!
A sudden, massive roar thundered through the air. The sound was so deafening that both cadets and villains, who had been fighting for their lives, momentarily froze. It was a sound that demanded attention. Kim Su-hyeok, lost in his thoughts, was no exception.
"That direction...?"
He immediately turned toward the source of the noise. It was a desolate stretch of forest that should have been empty, given how everyone was concentrated in the current area. But that place was...
'The direction Ha-yeon and Jin-eon came from.'
In other words, it was where Choi Yu-seong was. The realization sent a flurry of worries through his mind. Why was there a sudden explosion? What happened to Yu-seong?
"I... I have to go there...!"
Driven by those thoughts, he felt he had no choice but to go to Choi Yu-seong’s aid. It wasn't a rational choice. They were barely maintaining a balance here as it was. If Kim Su-hyeok left, the result was predictable. It would be a disaster. His impulse was purely emotional, fueled by the fear that his friend was in danger.
However, in his agitated state, Kim Su-hyeok wasn't capable of seeing that. Just as he was about to rush toward the source of the blast, a voice cut through his panic.
"Where do you think you are going?"
The voice was cold, and it brought Kim Su-hyeok to a dead stop.
"Ha-yeon."
"Are you out of your mind? You're going to desert the battlefield now? Get it together."
Ju Ha-yeon tore into him with a chilling intensity. It was the only logical reaction. If Kim Su-hyeok abandoned them now, the consequences would be impossible to justify. Kim Su-hyeok seemed to snap back to reality, his face contorting with conflict.
"But...!"
He wasn't ready to give in just yet. His feelings weren't hard to understand. The people here were precious to him, but Choi Yu-seong was an equally dear friend. For someone who lived by a code of pure justice, being forced to choose was an impossible dilemma.
Ju Ha-yeon, however, didn't show a hint of weakness.
"So what?"
"What do you mean, 'so what'? How can you..."
"Look at the reality for once. What are you going to do when you get there? Beg the villains to show him mercy?"
"..."
"Talk some sense. Figure out exactly what you are actually capable of doing."
Ju Ha-yeon was being incredibly firm. She sounded so level-headed that one might think she wouldn't shed a single tear even if she were stabbed. But she wasn't saying this because she didn't care about Choi Yu-seong. As Yu-seong had once noted, Ju Ha-yeon was someone who acted tough on the outside but was no different from any other girl underneath.
'Damn it...!'
Ju Ha-yeon was also burning up inside. If anything, her heart was in more turmoil than Kim Su-hyeok’s. Unlike him, she was the one who had actually left Choi Yu-seong behind, whether she had wanted to or not. She felt like collapsing and crying right there.
But she couldn't.
'I can't do that...'
The people around her were already far too emotional. Kim Su-hyeok would jump into fire for his friends, and Ryu Jin-oh, while seemingly calm, was often led by his pride. Then there was the tender-hearted Ha Eun-ha. She didn't know much about Do Gang-ho or Oh Jin-eon yet, but they didn't exactly seem like the rational, cold-headed types either.
If she acted on her emotions too, what would happen?
'If I do that, something irreversible is bound to happen.'
When she first decided to take over the family business, her father had told her that those who stand above others carry a heavy responsibility. Fulfilling that responsibility was the true duty of a leader.
She wasn't saying that Kim Su-hyeok or Ryu Jin-oh held official power at the academy. They weren't the type to want it, anyway. But some things were just obvious.
'There are people who are destined to lead, even if they don't try to.'
She was certain they were that type of people. If so, what was her role?
'To help them find the best possible path.'
One could call it a waste of time, but she had her excuses. Wouldn't they be her clients one day? It was only logical to advise them now so they could become more valuable players. Of course, in reality, she just cared about them. After all the years they had spent together, she wanted them to walk a better path.
"Kim Su-hyeok. Do you hear me?"
Ju Ha-yeon kept her voice sharp. She knew that if she didn't, Kim Su-hyeok would never listen.
'But this won't be enough.'
They had been connected since before Glory. She knew a cold shoulder wouldn't settle him. He needed something to put his mind at ease. Fortunately, she had exactly that.
"And you don't need to worry about him right now."
"...What are you talking about?"
"Exactly what I said. There is no need to worry about Choi Yu-seong for the moment."
"How can you say that after an explosion like that just went off...!"
Kim Su-hyeok, frustrated by the lack of explanation, suddenly widened his eyes as a realization struck him.
"Are you actually using that talent?"
His voice was now thick with concern. His shift in attitude was fast, but for good reason.
"The penalty for that is massive!"
He had known Ju Ha-yeon long enough to know what talent she was referring to. If she was this certain, there was only one possibility: "Opening the Five Senses." And the price for using it was steep.
'If I remember correctly...'
It was a talent that pushed the five senses to their absolute limit but stripped away the user's ability to control them. For example, her hearing would become incredibly sharp, but because she couldn't tune anything out, a loud noise could cause serious physical trauma to her ears. Her sense of touch would become hyper-sensitive, meaning even a minor scratch would cause agonizing pain. It was a brilliant talent, but an incredibly dangerous one.
'If Ha-yeon weren't an archer, she probably wouldn't be able to handle it.'
Since she fought from a distance, she was less likely to be hit, which made the talent manageable. But they were in the middle of a chaotic melee.
Using Opening the Five Senses when a stray attack could come from anywhere was a huge risk. But Ju Ha-yeon remained unfazed.
"It's fine. I just have to be more careful."
"You know it's not that simple!"
"Kim Su-hyeok."
Ju Ha-yeon’s voice turned icy as she said his name. When he finally went quiet, she spoke softly.
"Do you really think the rest of us aren't just as worried about Choi Yu-seong as you are?"
"..."
"I'm worried too. And I feel guilty."
It was the truth. Even though Choi Yu-seong had insisted she leave, it didn't change the fact that she had.
"But we can't go help him, can we? We can't just turn our backs on this situation and run to him, can we?"
Her voice had started out cold, but it began to tremble with rising emotion. Kim Su-hyeok had no response.
"So, I'm doing the only thing I can do right now. Even if it doesn't compare to him risking his life back there."
"..."
"But what about you? If you turn your back on this and can't do anything when you get there, then what the hell are you even doing?"
"I... I'm sorry."
"I don't want an apology. I want an answer. Tell me. What exactly are you going to do?"
It was a simple question, yet the answer felt impossible.
"..."
Kim Su-hyeok had been acting on pure impulse. He couldn't answer her. A few seconds of heavy silence passed before Ju Ha-yeon spoke again.
"Even while we're standing here, everyone else is risking their lives and doing their part."
She was right. While they were arguing, the other cadets were bleeding and fighting villains.
"And yet you can't even manage the bare minimum."
"..."
"Is that your idea of justice? Is that the justice you're aiming for? Abandoning the students here?"
It wasn't. Abandoning these people was the last thing Kim Su-hyeok wanted. But at the same time, he couldn't help but think about Choi Yu-seong. Wasn't he abandoning him too?
'I don't know.'
If he looked at the numbers, saving the many was the right choice. But if he looked at it as a friend, giving up on one person felt wrong. He couldn't choose. To Kim Su-hyeok, every life was precious. But in a crisis like this, there was no time for indecision.
"If you can't answer, then just listen," Ju Ha-yeon said, not waiting any longer. "Stay here and fight with everyone else. That is the only thing you can do right now."
"Ah..."
"If you don't like that, then get the hell out of here. I have no use for someone who doesn't even know what his duty is."
With that, she ended the conversation and walked away. There was too much to do to waste another second. Her departure was a necessity.
"..."
Left alone, Kim Su-hyeok gripped his sword until his knuckles turned white. What was the right thing to do?
"I am..."
As he struggled with the question, a memory from earlier in the semester surfaced.
—Because half-hearted justice can sometimes become poison.
Choi Yu-seong had said that to him. Half-hearted justice. What had he resolved back then?
'Certain justice.'
That was it. Certain justice. And what did that look like now?
"Argh!!"
"Damn it! We need help over here!!!"
Hearing the screams of pain all around him, Kim Su-hyeok finally found his answer. Certain justice meant...
"Handling the task at hand once and for all."
It meant leaving no room for regret. That was the justice he chose.
"I'm still just as worried about Yu-seong, but..."
Like Ha-yeon said, there was nothing he could do for him right now. And she had said he was still okay. She wasn't a liar, so he chose to believe her.
"First, I'll clear this place out."
He might regret this choice later. If anything happened to Choi Yu-seong, he would definitely be haunted by it. But if he turned his back now, he wouldn't just maybe regret it—he would certainly regret it. It would be the same as ignoring the tragedy right in front of him.
"So, for now, it's best to follow Ha-yeon's lead."
When things get complicated, think simply. Choi Yu-seong hadn't asked for help, but these people desperately needed it. Kim Su-hyeok steeled his heart and dove back into the fray.
"Everyone, stay sharp and keep fighting!"
He still had a long way to go, but he was slowly but surely building the foundation of his own conviction.