Episode 13
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13. Week 3
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Ah, uh, ugh, ugh, ugh…….
The sound echoes in the darkness once again. A grotesque moan, a non-human thing mimicking a human. Yet, there is no sign of a pale face anywhere.
‘……Where are you?’
The Human-Faced Spiders were cunning. They had quickly learned that in this pit, a human face could no longer function as a lure. So, they chose to turn their distorted faces pitch black, melting completely into the shadows.
When will it be? When will they pounce?
Now?
Ah, ah, ah, ah…….
Is it now?
The sound of the Human-Faced Spider echoed through the pit. The moan, impossible to pinpoint, burrowed into his mind and rang inside his skull. Jae-hak forced his eyes open, struggling to hold onto his fading concentration.
Is it now…….
Ah, ah, uh, ugh, uh.
Now!
Jae-hak threw his body to the side with all his might. *Snap!* A stark white venomous fang shot out from the darkness, biting into the spot where he had just been standing. Jae-hak rolled once and sprang to his feet. Then, he immediately lowered his stance again.
*Skreeeeee-* The pitch-black face, having missed its prey, twisted to look at him.
"Come on. Come at me."
Without realizing it, words born of pure spite spilled out. It had already been one week and five days since he was trapped in this pit. The terrifying faces of the Human-Faced Spiders were no longer a source of fear for Jae-hak.
"Come on. You spider bastard."
The second week of training had been about keeping one's eyes open while tied to a wall. The third week was about surviving while dodging the Human-Faced Spiders. The time he had to endure kept increasing; what started at 30 seconds had now stretched to 5 minutes…….
-3 minutes.
The broadcast blared. At the same time, the Human-Faced Spider lunged at the defenseless Jae-hak again. Its eight legs moved in a geometric pattern. But by now, the trajectory was burned into his eyes. At this point, it would be harder to actually get hit.
*Snap.*
He dodged, and dodged, and dodged again. His senses were sharpened to the absolute limit. He could feel it. Every single cell in his body, from the center to the very edges. He even had the fleeting illusion that, in this state, he might be able to dodge a bullet.
*Cr-cr-crack!* The claw of the Human-Faced Spider, swung in a wide arc, scraped the air and slammed into the floor. But Jae-hak had already retreated far out of reach.
“…….”
The Human-Faced Spider grinned at Jae-hak for a moment before slowly backing away. *Swoosh,* the black spider melted into the shadows where the candlelight from the walls couldn't reach, and vanished.
Nothing…… is visible.
-1 minute.
*Hoo……* Jae-hak shook out his arms and legs. He shed the tension and made his muscles fluid. Light. Lighter. He could do this. He could react.
The creature’s intent was clear. An ambush from the darkness.
From the front? The back? The side? Or perhaps from above?
Jae-hak focused all his energy once more. He opened his eyes, and opened his ears even wider. Wide, wider still. He expanded the base of his consciousness. Thin and sensitive, like a microscopic spiderweb. He had to catch even the faintest vibration, the slightest hint of unnatural presence.
And then.
*Twinkle.* Something cold touched his retina. By the time he realized it, it was already right in front of him. But it wasn't a venomous fang. It was faster, sharper, stabbing in a straight line. It was the venomous stinger on the foreleg, which the Human-Faced Spiders only unleashed against targets they absolutely had to kill. A weapon containing a neurotoxin far more potent than their fangs…….
Ah, uh, uh-
Jae-hak didn't dodge. It was too fast for that. Instead, he reached out both hands and grabbed the incoming stinger.
Ah, ugh, uh, ugh.
*Skreeee,* his worn-out combat boots slid backward, scraping the ground. The Human-Faced Spider trying to pierce, and Jae-hak trying to push it away. A life-or-death struggle between monster and human.
“Ugh…….”
However, the Human-Faced Spider was still an opponent too difficult for a Level 5 Awakened like Jae-hak to handle. His stance began to crumble. His muscles, pushed to their limit, screamed as if they were about to snap.
-30 seconds.
But Jae-hak didn't loosen his grip on the stinger. If he let go, he would be skewered. He had to endure, no matter what.
-15 seconds.
Ah, uh, ugh, ah, ugh, ugh…….
Sensing victory, the Human-Faced Spider’s mouth stretched wide on both sides.
It was smiling.
-10 seconds.
It was right then.
*Crack…….*
It was a very faint sound, or rather, a sensation. A crack detected by Jae-hak’s fingertips, his extremely taut muscles, and his infinitely heightened senses.
It felt like something inside his hand had slightly fractured. Was it an illusion? Was his muscle, pushed beyond its range of motion, feeling things that weren't there?
‘But if it’s not an illusion…….’
A monster’s stinger. If its structure was similar to a spider on Earth, there would be a hollow space inside for the venom to flow. Moreover, it was a structure usually hidden carefully at the tip of the leg, not brought out.
Could it…… really be that sturdy?
Ah, uh, ugh, ugh, ugh…….
Jae-hak gathered his last remaining strength. And he snapped the stinger with all his might.
*Snap-*
———————!!
The Human-Faced Spider let out a shriek that was not the human sound it had been mimicking, but a true, monstrous cry.
—————————————!!
The monster writhed in agony as its stinger and the internal duct connected to its organs were torn. It slammed against the ground, leaped into the air, and then immediately locked its eyes onto Jae-hak with all its fury.
“!!”
And the sight was so horrific that even Jae-hak, who had been dealing with these creatures for days, recoiled for a split second.
The face that had always worn a distorted, grinning smile—it was as if it no longer cared to maintain its mimicry. It had transformed into the face of a bug wearing a human expression.
The Human-Faced Spider lunged. In the form of a bug that had shed all its outer skin. Dripping with a black liquid—whether blood or venom—from its forelegs, it charged to tear Jae-hak to shreds.
It was fast. The fastest yet. But Jae-hak didn't dodge.
"Sorry."
Jae-hak said, raising both hands.
"Time's up. 10 seconds."
*Whirrrrrr-* The sound of the monster and the human ending their game of cat and mouse. The iron chains around their necks were pulled simultaneously. The Human-Faced Spider, which had been trying to kill Jae-hak, thrashed about with a face full of hatred.
-End.
————————————!!
Letting out a cry filled with resentment, the Human-Faced Spiders were dragged back into the darkness, into their respective iron cages.
*Tap-tap-tap,* and the lights turned on from all sides.
-Trainees, assemble.
About twenty trainees came running, panting, and stood in a line. But there were a few empty spots. Looking back, a few people were pointing at empty air, shouting something or other. They were hallucinating after being struck by the Human-Faced Spider's neurotoxin.
Needless to say, they were eliminated.
"Number 32."
The instructor, who had descended into the pit, called out to Number 32 at the front, as if poking him.
"Clover, 7…… and…… uh…… Moon."
"Wrong. Number 5."
"Flower, Diamond, and…… 18…… sir."
The instructor didn't answer, just clicked his tongue once. Then he looked at the trainees.
"Are there really no more of you who can actually focus?"
The secondary task of the third-week training was to identify all three patterns engraved on the bodies of the Human-Faced Spiders.
One was on the underside of the abdomen, revealed when they leaped to attack; another was on the back.
And the last one was hidden inside the maw they opened to bite.
In other words, this test didn't just require simple agility. It required the ability to watch the monster's attack until the very end, and the focus to identify the patterns while dodging that attack.
"There are over 200 species of monsters identified so far! Whether they explode when shot, or spray venom…… you must always observe and stay vigilant! Even if you die, your information might save your teammates!"
The instructor, who had been pushing the trainees like that, pointed to Jae-hak next.
"Number 78. What is it?"
Jae-hak answered briefly.
"Spade, Sword, 21."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Spade, Sword, 21."
The instructor stared at Jae-hak for a moment, then nodded, "Hmm." A hint of satisfaction flickered across his expressionless face.
"……At least there are a few useful ones among you."
The instructor said that and gestured outside the pit. As if telling them to prepare something. The outside became bustling.
"Now."
Assistants in red caps carefully lowered two wooden crates that looked heavy even from a distance into the pit. Typical military crates with green paint peeling off in places.
The instructor picked the lock and opened the crates. Under the dim moonlight, black gun barrels were revealed.
"Take one each."
The instructor said.
Jae-hak shoved the Human-Faced Spider's stinger he was holding into his pocket and followed the other trainees to pick up a K19 rifle. *Click,* he checked the magazine as he had been taught. Silver bullets for large monsters filled the two rows. The smell of metal brushed against his nose.
“…….”
The instructor in front gestured for them to follow.
The instructor led the trainees and stopped in front of the iron cages where the Human-Faced Spiders were kept. *Skreeeeee-* Sensing the humans, the Human-Faced Spiders gathered close. Inside the cages, dozens of pitch-black faces rolled their eyes.
He thought he had adapted. But at the grotesque sight, the trainees couldn't help but tremble.
"These are the ones that have tormented you for the past two weeks. I imagine it was very scary, difficult, and painful, with no means to resist. But you survived."
The instructor said briefly.
"This is the final task. Kill them. Kill them and finish it."
The trainees looked at each other, rifles in hand. But the hesitation was brief.
*Bang! Bang-bang!*
Gunshots rang out simultaneously. Some pulled the trigger in bursts, while others, unable to contain their anger, even shed tears. It was a reaction to the explosion of stress that had built up to the limit.
Ah, ugh, uh, ugh, ugh…….
The Human-Faced Spiders collapsed, spraying black blood. Jae-hak also quietly aimed his rifle. The one that had tried to kill him for two weeks. The one with black blood dripping from its foreleg bared its teeth. It wailed, its face full of hatred.
“…….”
Jae-hak inhaled, then exhaled slightly. And he pulled the trigger twice in short succession. *Thud-thud.*
And that was it.
"Sob…… sob…… ugh……."
*Click, click.* Looking back, he saw the trainee next to him, who had emptied his magazine and was still pulling the empty trigger while crying. It seemed the feeling of helplessness from having to just take it had been too great.
“…….”
Jae-hak gently lowered her rifle with one hand. Then, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to comfort her. They were strangers who didn’t even know each other’s names, but in that hellish pit, a sense of camaraderie had somehow taken root. Looking around, he saw similar scenes playing out everywhere, regardless of age or gender.
As the gunfire finally died down, the instructor spoke quietly.
“That concludes the second and third weeks of training. You’ve all suffered through a long time in the pit. From tomorrow until next Wednesday, you will follow a five-day recovery curriculum consisting of morning rest and afternoon theoretical education. Also, note that civilian visitations are permitted during this period.”
The instructor pulled his cap down to shade his eyes and added, “Truly, you’ve worked hard.”
Exhausted trainees collapsed all around, their tension finally breaking. Some even fainted on the spot. Assistants rushed in to collect the rifles and provide basic medical aid.
It had been so long. If this weren’t an era where humanity was at war with monsters, this training would have been shut down for human rights violations long ago.
Jae-hak let out a long sigh and looked up at the Gangwon-do night sky. The first person who came to mind was Ji-seul. She hadn’t told him the training would be this grueling. He felt a bit deceived.
Yet, strangely, he felt no resentment toward her. Each day, pushing his body to grow stronger… it was actually quite enjoyable for Jae-hak.
‘It reminds me of when I used to train back in the day….’
Furthermore, Ji-seul had made a promise. If he completed this training in the top three, she would entrust him with a more significant role.
He could contribute to catching the bastards who killed his mother and Seong-min. That hope gave Jae-hak strength more than anything else. It kept him going when other trainees fainted from exhaustion during the brutal runs, and it helped him keep his eyes open even when monsters not of this world lunged at him.
That night, after returning to the barracks two weeks later and collapsing onto his soft bed, Jae-hak fell into a deep sleep for the first time in a long while.
Even the auditory hallucinations that always plagued him were silent tonight.
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* * *
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However, not everyone was feeling a similar sense of accomplishment that night.
“Damn it….”
In the dark hallway, in front of the bulletin board outside the administrative office. A man was tearing at his hair in front of the wall where the current training rankings were posted.
“Why…?”
His name was Kim Dong-hyeon. A physical enhancement-type Awakened who first awakened at age thirteen. Born into a poor family, he hadn’t received the same level of support as others, but he had fought his way into the youth program of the nation’s top agency on his own, once considered one of the greatest talents of his generation.
But as is often the case with talents that bloom early… his growth had stalled as if by some cruel joke. He still remembered the disappointed face of the agency scout who had come to see him for the last time.
What went wrong, and where?
His parents had felt sorry. They always blamed themselves and felt regret, wishing they could have provided a better environment. Kim Dong-hyeon agreed. But he couldn’t blame them, as they had supported him as best they could despite their lack of means.
Kim Dong-hyeon, a fallen prospect whose name no one remembered anymore, felt a swirl of crushed pride and a sense of defeat with nowhere to direct it.
And this Awakened Combatant Training Course was the final opportunity he had chosen. He thought he would start over from the beginning. He believed that with his level of talent, it wouldn’t be difficult. Honestly, he had believed that a government-sponsored training program couldn’t be that hard.
“……Damn it.”
But now, Kim Dong-hyeon was on the verge of being eliminated.
102 people had entered the training. Only 42 remained. And now, more than half of them would be cut, with only the final 20 receiving the official Awakened Combatant certification.
And… Kim Dong-hyeon’s current rank was 22nd out of 42. Today, as the third week of training ended, he had fallen out of the passing range for the first time.
Eliminated? Me?
Why?
In truth, Kim Dong-hyeon knew it himself. He felt it, however vaguely. That he was somehow different from the other trainees. That they had swallowed something inside them that he lacked.
For instance, Number 78, whom the instructors favored.
He was really nothing special. You could tell just by looking. He seemed to have a decent sense for physical movement, but that was it. He lacked knowledge and experience. The first few days were truly pathetic. His face was pale and his eyes were unfocused, like a half-corpse running…
But he hadn’t given up. He ran even while vomiting over and over again. Drooling like an idiot, not even feeling embarrassed despite the many women among the trainees running alongside him.
How could he go that far?
If I were in Number 78’s shoes, could I have done that? Kim Dong-hyeon admitted that he probably couldn’t. Without even realizing it… he had been subconsciously acknowledging Number 78. He had even been rooting for him as he climbed the rankings.
But that was all before he saw the newly updated rankings today.
16th place.
Number 78 was now in 16th place. I had been pushed down to 22nd, while that incompetent fool had overtaken me and entered the passing range. This made no sense. It was absurd. It was an injustice. Unless the instructors were pulling strings for him….
Yes! That was it. It wasn’t that I was lacking. He was using cowardly tricks.
Kim Dong-hyeon’s brain concocted such twisted excuses to protect his shattered pride. It didn’t take long for his frustration to transform into irrational hostility.
*Bang!*
Kim Dong-hyeon punched the administrative office wall without a word. *Bang*, again. And again.
An ominous sound echoed through the dark hallway. Just like his hollow, inflated inner self.
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