Chapter 366

There was a brief incident due to cultural differences, but thereafter everything proceeded without a hitch.

What we needed to do was find the treasure. Or, rather, locate the students who possessed the treasure.

However, it’s generally better to establish a clear line of action. Without it, our movements could get disastrously tangled.

“So, I think it would be best to focus on finding the students who have discovered the treasure.”

“Isn’t that a bit shady?”

“Let’s call it intelligence rather than shadiness.”

And then the smartest of us all, Karas, firmly established our route.

Karas also knew what wish I would make when I gathered the treasure. That’s why he was more proactive.

“If we just go after the treasure, the other students will only be alerted. They’ll have to stay around for a while to feel the danger.”

“That makes sense. So?”

“But if we aim for the students who possess the treasure, the game changes. It gives off a strong hunter vibe.”

Indeed, that’s precisely how it felt. And Karas truly grasped the essence of this exam.

The essence of this exam was a scramble. It was a test that determined advantage based on who found what first.

This meant that fighting wasn’t really necessary. But rather than avoiding a fight, Karas had a different approach.

“Our advantage lies in our strength. If we don’t utilize what we excel at, it’s pointless.”

“I get what you’re saying. But how are we going to determine if students have found the treasure?”

“Honestly, we shouldn’t have to look for it ourselves. Don’t we already possess two treasures?”

Karas’s point was this: to collect all the treasures, we would need to defeat the others anyway.

Especially since we were wearing special bracelets for this exam. If these bracelets fall off or get destroyed, it means immediate disqualification.

Even if resurrection is possible, the risks in the meantime are high. Students are sure to have their share of complaints as well.

“First, let’s determine the meeting point. The lake is too central, making it dangerous and obvious.”

“I see a small village on the map. Let’s start there.”

The exam stage resembled the examination ground I faced during my first semester in the first year.

There are several big and small villages, each with a landmark structure.

And the place I arrived at was a village with a windmill. It was relatively large, making it an ideal hiding spot.

“This place looks like it has no treasure. Must be due to its proximity to the lake.”

“Such a shame. Let’s designate this windmill as our gathering point. We should meet every six hours or so.”

“Sure.”

The team was as it had been in previous practice. I moved alone while the other two stuck together.

This setup provided a balanced approach, allowing for communication in case of emergencies.

‘Let’s see…’

I spread out the map and decided where to go. It’s better to choose a destination than to wander aimlessly.

If I hear a loud noise while on the way, I can just rush there. If someone possesses the treasure, I’ll plan for a snatch.

‘I should start from the corners.’

I figured it would be best to scour the far end first since there’s still plenty of time.

I checked that the Orange Treasure was working properly a few times before I slowly made my way forward.

Just a moment ago, there were noises here and there, but now everything has fallen into deep silence.

-Chirp! Chirp!

How long had I walked? As I strolled aimlessly, I soon found myself in a forest.

As soon as I reached the forest, I unfolded the map. It seemed I was at the midpoint between the corners and the Windmill Village.

A perfect spot for hiding. I glanced around to confirm there were no suspicious signs.

“··· ···”

It’s quiet. Extremely quiet.

Earlier I could hear birds chirping, but now, not a sound.

Someone is here. Especially since this forest seems to serve as a hidden pathway, it’s suitable for concealment.

[Sivar. Is everything alright?]

Just then, perfectly on cue, I received a message from Kara. The ring on my left pinky glowed orange.

I deliberately brought the ring close to my mouth, as if to show it off. Then I replied in my usual indifferent tone.

“Nope. Nothing here. What about you?”

[We don’t have anything particular to report either. Let us know if something comes up.]

“Sure.”

It feels like something’s going to happen soon. I ended the communication and continued on my way.

I wondered what kind of traps the students had laid out. Or perhaps it’s just a simple ambush.

While walking with a peculiar sense of anticipation, I noticed something strange about the ground.

Hmm?

While I was vigilant, I suddenly sensed the ground felt weird.

It was as if the soil had been intentionally overturned and then covered again to match the surrounding environment.

It was embarrassingly sloppy. Almost like they thought, “This should be enough, right?” when laying a trap.

‘Who in the world made such a ridiculous trap…’

I wanted to shake my head in disbelief but held it back. It was also my vigilance that helped me notice it.

Besides, as poorly designed as it was, not many people actually watch the ground while walking.

So, isn’t it common courtesy to trip at least once? I thought.

‘I’ll have to see how they react afterward.’

I took a step forward, and the trap was triggered.

-Swoosh!

A rope instantly bound my foot. It seemed to activate when I stepped on the trap.

However, the trap was not limited to just binding my ankles. The moment I got caught, someone yelled loudly from around.

“Got him! Pull!”

“Ahhh!”

“Uaaaaah!”

The shouts to pull and the students’ battle cries echoed throughout the forest.

The rope that had tied my ankles suddenly yanked upward, forcing me to lose my balance.

Having anticipated this, I managed to use the falling technique to prevent my head from hitting the ground.

“Quick! Tear off the bracelet!”

“If we get that off, we can claim the treasure!”

Moments later, quite a few students surged toward me. About five or six in total.

Those weren’t Namgoong Seokdae but rather people from the Federation. It seems they must have started nearby.

Not that it matters. We’re all going to get disqualified anyway.

“Khg?!”

I immediately targeted the first student trying to rip off my bracelet. Just as he grabbed it, I seized his neck.

After forcibly shaking off those who were binding me, I stood back up.

The student whose neck I had grabbed was just flailing his arms, unable to think about taking my bracelet off.

-Boom!

I easily tossed the student toward the trees. The shock reverberated through as he crash-landed, his eyes rolling back as he fainted.

Now, the focus shifted to the remaining students. They looked puzzled, clearly caught off guard by the failed ambush.

As I took a step forward, an odd sensation traveled through my back.

“?”

“Yes! I got it! I reached it!”

It was a female student behind me, sporting an Eastern beauty.

She seemed to have stabbed something into my back and was now rejoicing.

I had already noticed someone was approaching from behind, but what could have her so elated?

-Blink!

Then, I spotted a ring glowing yellow on the girl’s finger.

She must have found a treasure within that brief moment. But I had no clue what its effect would be.

‘Since it touched me, surely something weird will happen.’

Before I could think about that, I needed to take care of her. I wouldn’t want to dawdle and let her steal the treasure from me.

So, I attempted to reach for the female student adorned with the yellow ring.

-Smash!

“What, what’s happening?! Why isn’t it working?!”

As I grabbed her by the collar, she shouted in panic. I had no idea what she meant by “it isn’t working.”

It might be better to keep my distance until I can overpower her. I hurled the girl at another student.

-Klunk!

“Ahhh!”

“Ew!”

People can be quite heavy. Even just colliding like that could leave someone dazed.

Now that the area was clear of people, I could handle them one by one and snatch their treasures in perfect order.

-Brake!

“?”

Just as I took a step forward, for some unknown reason, my body froze.

To be exact, it was my limbs. I looked down at my arms and legs with a sense of confusion.

Yellow rings had appeared on both my wrists and ankles. And then, a reaction came from those rings.

-Click! Click!

The yellow rings that had formed around my ankles and wrists stuck to each other like magnets. The wrists united with wrists, and the ankles with ankles.

They resembled fetters more than anything, differing only in color. As I watched, I realized the effect of that yellow treasure.

“They did it! They succeeded!”

“What’s the point if you can’t use your limbs?”

As I became restrained, the students cheered. Their expressions were already full of triumph.

Definitely effective as long as the risk of approach is excluded. I’d need to find out the specifics after I snatch their treasures.

‘This thing is sturdier than I thought. Must be magic?’

When I tried to force my way out, it tightened even further. Looks like there’s a magic that tightens the more strength you exert.

At that moment, one student cautiously approached me. Full of confidence.

Just as the student reached for my bracelet, I immediately reacted.

-Snap!

Can’t use my arms and legs? Doesn’t matter.

I still have my head.

“Ughhh!”

The student screamed and fell backward. I headbutted him.

Clutching his forehead, the student rolled on the ground, his cries resounding loudly.

I had taken care not to hit too hard, but he was still overreacting.

I shifted my attention from him to the other students.

They all wore looks of shock, clearly caught off guard by the headbutt.

“Wh-wh-what? That idiot…!”

“What do we do now? It looks hard to approach!”

“What do you mean? We all charge at him!”

That made sense. Even if my head is tough, a headbutt can only target one person at a time.

So, it implies I need to finish this before they close in on me.

-Swoosh.

I slowly knelt down. As I did, the students flinched.

Kneeling while my limbs are tied? Those with keen eyes might have realized the potential trap.

“Get out of the way! He’s coming!”

“What’s coming?”

The reason I knelt down was—

-Boom!

To gain momentum.

A few sharp-eyed students narrowly dodged, but only one failed to get away.

I used my upper body, leading with my head. It was like an arrow’s tip, in a sense.

But arrows are too small, so I needed another analogy.

-Thud!

“Ugh?!”

The kind of hit you’d expect from a ballista used in siege warfare.

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