Chapter 92

In a battle royale, the most important thing is ‘position.’

In the game, usually, only my team’s position is displayed, and we have to figure out the locations of other teams on our own.

Due to this uncertainty, the concept of “Jon-Bur” (camping) exists, making us very sensitive to sounds and directions.

That’s why among hacks, the ones that reveal positions are in high demand. Just knowing where the opponents are helps in securing advantageous spots.

“There are 2 here, 3 over there, and finally, 3 more over here.”

“Got it. So, we’re smack dab in the middle.”

After scouting around and gathering information, we discovered that we were right in the center of it all.

Of course, positions could change with the next Magic Barrier, and it might have shifted even now. However, it shouldn’t differ too much.

Upon further observation of the other teams, most seemed to be camping as well. Once you’re eliminated, you can’t respawn unless a teammate is around.

Given this, being cautious is a must, leading us to adopt a strategy of hunkering down in a single location.

“But why do we only have 2-3 members per team instead of 4? Is it because there’s a scout?”

Grace, who marked the map, wondered aloud. Normally, teams should consist of either 4 or 3 members.

But the teams I indicated had at most 3 members. Teams with 4 members were virtually nonexistent.

“Me.”

“Huh?”

“I did it.”

Naturally, it was all my doing. After following scouts and neatly abducting them, I gathered the intel I needed.

There were various ways to extract information. The easiest was using water, but I also employed fire.

By tying someone to a chair and lighting their thigh on fire, the answers flowed out effortlessly.

The same went for eliminating opponents. If they didn’t want to be out, I’d come up with creative ways to pry positive responses from them.

‘They won’t give me counseling later, will they?’

Lacking any attack rights, I extracted as much as I could. If there’s any fault, it’s with the professor who imposed such constraints.

Furthermore, this could add severe stress to the students, making it quite the educational trial in various respects.

What’s disappointing, though, is that I couldn’t use a human bomb. If I had, the exam would have been a bit easier.

“Got it. That means other teams can’t scout at all… We might be able to seize an advantageous position.”

To pinpoint our location, one needs to listen or scout. But since I’ve taken out all the scouts, it could be tricky.

Moving carelessly is dangerous, but staying put is risky too, especially with the Magic Barrier shrinking.

After a while, Grace stared at the map, then nodded and pointed in one direction.

“Let’s head here first. We need to check how far the Magic Barrier shrinks, but going further in would be better.”

“W-won’t there be too many people here?”

As Lee Yeon-joo pointed out, depending on where the Magic Barrier shrinks, we might need to face off against multiple teams head-on.

Especially since that side includes Kara’s team, which could be quite perilous.

“That’s fine. Haven’t we forgotten our plan? We just need to do nothing and let them fight amongst themselves. If we hide quietly without getting caught, that’s enough.”

“It sounds easy…”

Talk is simple. However, other teams are no fools and will likely avoid fights as much as possible.

Furthermore, a situation known as being “sandwiched” could arise, where they find themselves trapped between multiple opponents, leading to a very cautious approach.

As I mentioned earlier, in this exam, once you’re out, that’s it. You can respawn, but it’s limited.

“Still, as Yeon-joo said, we should prepare for the unexpected. Sivar will defend, but our offense isn’t impressive, so let’s think of a decent strategy before the Magic Barrier shrinks further.”

“How about Sivar and I create a diversion to draw attention?”

“That’s tough. We’re already down to 3 members, and losing one would be a major blow. Plus, with the Magic Barrier shrinking, the frequency of battles will only increase, so we need to avoid fights at all costs.”

You might think it’s sneaky, but it’s a wise choice. Avoiding unnecessary fights is the best strategy.

Even if our ratings might drop, the most important thing is the rank. The difference between 1st and 2nd place is stark in a battle royale.

Given our lack of offensive power, it’s better to steer clear of needless conflicts. Isn’t it said that winning without fighting is vital?

“We should start thinking about artifacts soon…”

[The Magic Barrier will shrink soon.]

Just as Grace was about to speak, an announcement echoed. At that moment, we checked our bracelets.

If we’re outside the next Magic Barrier’s criteria, the bracelets provide warnings and directions.

“…Looks like we need to move. The direction is…”

“It’s the same as what Grace mentioned earlier.”

Isn’t this too coincidental? The Magic Barrier is shrinking in the exact direction Grace just pointed out.

Looking at the map, it’s a densely built area, likely to be the scene of urban combat.

‘Nice.’

Urban warfare can be quite a hassle. You need to check which buildings opponents are in and root them out directly.

But that’s not the case for me. I could just smash the buildings, and they’d likely be eliminated automatically.

I could just break down a building and wait for the opponents to be out. That’s how easy it could be.

“I wish the opposing teams would get caught up in a scrap before we move…”

As Grace said this, she shot me a glance. Her eyes reflected hope.

Lee Yeon-joo wore a similar expression, almost as if she was silently pleading with me again.

I didn’t mind, so I agreed wholeheartedly. However, I had a separate request.

“Grace.”

“Yes. What is it?”

“Don’t scold me.”

“Huh?”

Grace looked puzzled at my request not to scold her. Her sharp eyes had turned blank, making her somewhat adorable.

“Um… I don’t know what it is, but I won’t scold you? So, what’s the plan?”

“Yeah. Yeon-joo.”

“?”

Calling Yeon-joo got her to blink. I made my request to her.

“Can you help me out for a second?”

I figured this would take longer if I did it alone.

Once all preparations were made.

“…If the family finds out, I’ll be branded a criminal.”

“Well, it’s an exam, so it should be fine, right?”

“Does that look fine to you?! What kind of madness is that?! By the way, where the hell did you learn that from!!”

Grace went off on a wild rant, coming out all on her own.

*****

Most teams are currently avoiding battle as much as possible.

Partly due to it being an exam, but importantly due to the lack of scouts that would allow for reckless movements.

Because Sivar had cleverly dealt with the scouts, information flow has essentially been cut off, leaving them stagnant.

If the Magic Barrier moves, they’ll only follow it slowly. Moving too actively could make them targets, leading to maximum caution.

“Let’s start moving. It’s unclear, but it’d be good to move outside the Magic Barrier.”

“Understood.”

Luna was no different. With the loss of their scout, she was moving with utmost caution.

Her chosen tactic was to camp, moving alongside the edges of the Magic Barrier.

This way, they could minimize unnecessary fights, resulting in almost no damage.

So far, there was only one battle. Even that one was won rather smoothly.

‘It’s about time to join the fight, I guess.’

She fiddled with the sword strapped to her waist. As the Magic Barrier shrinks, fights are bound to become more frequent.

For the time being, thanks to her distinctive vision, they can gather information, but unfortunately, it’s tough to get an overview of the entire scenario.

Luckily, there exists a team member who’s good at strategizing, which is a relief, but even that could prove pointless.

‘Sivar has no offensive power, and… the ones to watch out for are just Kara and Elvin.’

I don’t know the whereabouts of the three of them. If there were any noise, I could make a rough guess, but that’s hard enough as it is.

Luna moved carefully to avoid drawing attention. It’d be dangerous if they were suddenly attacked, so she surveyed her surroundings and took cautious steps.

Step, step, step—

Then, she heard a particularly loud footstep nearby.

Not one from her teammates. She’d already pinpointed her teammates’ footsteps, so she could easily distinguish them.

She raised her hand to signal her team to halt, and they all instinctively froze.

“… …”

“… …”

Once they stopped, the noise Luna had heard disappeared too.

As Luna tilted her head in confusion, one of her teammates finally spoke.

“Is something wrong?”

“…No. Must have been my imagination. Let’s move on.”

Putting aside her unease, Luna pressed forward. They were currently making their way to a bustling area.

Walking openly down the street was extremely risky, but there were no good places to hide.

Step, step, step—

As they started walking again, this time the sound was unmistakably clear. Luna spun around and shouted.

“Who’s there?!”

“Y-yes?”

“Who’s there?!”

At Luna’s shout, her teammates armed themselves, each wearing expressions of alarm.

Just then, someone slipped into view from behind.

In a place with hardly any spots to ambush, a figure appeared from behind a tiny tree.

‘Who is it?’

Luna narrowed her eyes, trying to discern the stranger. The figure was cloaked in a robe, making it hard to identify them.

But one thing was sure: they were the enemy. In this exam, aside from your team, everyone else is an enemy.

As soon as Luna drew her sword from its sheath, the mysterious figure revealed their face.

“…?”

“Wh-why is that guy…?”

Just like her teammates, Luna found herself taken aback.

After all, the person cloaked in a robe was none other than Sivar.

Why was Sivar here? And how did he find their location?

‘Did he come alone? Why?’

Above all, the fact that Sivar was alone raised alarms. He had no attack rights, so meeting him head-on was pointless.

Yet, following him was too obvious for a scout. Luna found herself utterly confused.

As everyone but Sivar was in shock, Sivar momentarily diverted his attention.

He pulled out a map, taking turns glancing at Luna’s team. Then, nodding to himself, he put the map away.

After that, he locked eyes with Luna’s team and threw off the robe that was enveloping him.

Whoosh!

“…What?”

“Th-that…”

As Sivar tossed aside the robe, expressions of astonishment erupted from the group.

It turned out, Sivar was covered in bombs. The destructive capability was enough to at least knock someone out.

The sight of several explosives stuck to him legitimately resembled a bomb vest.

“…Sivar? What …what the hell is that…?”

Luna cautiously lowered her sword and questioned him. Why on earth was Sivar wearing a bomb vest?

Had his teammates done this to him, or did Sivar volunteer? Luna’s mind raced chaotically.

While she pondered, Sivar slowly raised his hands, extending a finger toward a direction.

“Go that way. Or…”

Then, he pointed at the bomb vest.

“I’ll blow it up.”

Sivar declared, like a terrorist, that he planned to initiate a suicide attack. But unfortunately for him, Luna and the other students were all first-years.

They might have faced monsters or other people, but they had next to no real combat experience. Hence, it took them longer to process the unfolding situation.

If it were Kara, she’d probably have cursed and high-tailed it out of there. Sivar was aware of this, so he added with a final remark.

“Not going? Then…”

With that, Sivar took a running stance.

“I’m coming!”

And charged towards the team.

“R-run! Quick!”

“AAAAAHHHH!!”

“W-who the hell is that?! What’s going on?!”

The real chaos had just begun.

[Faith is increasing!]