Author: Dawn

As Bang Haeun struggled to withdraw her sword,

Graaaah!

The Shapeshifter let out a final scream and collapsed with a thud.

A monster in the shape of an unknown male student. Only a pitiful single sword mark is engraved on its chest.

Crumble—

Watching the slowly corroding monster made me laugh involuntarily.

This is Bang Haeun’s true ability. She’d just been praised for the amazing power that pulverized monsters earlier, making her shoddiness stand out even more.

‘By the way, Incapacitation skill’s utility is no joke?’

With one BB pellet, I temporarily disabled a legendary-grade holy sword’s function.

I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t use this good thing. I don’t think we should dismiss it just because it’s a general skill… but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.

“……”

Because Bang Haeun is looking at me.

Her cold gaze sweeps over the toy gun once before aiming back at me.

“What?”

I expected her to finally reveal her true nature, but Bang Haeun smiled and gestured.

“No, I was just wondering if you’ll eliminate all of those with that gun too.”

What the villain is pointing at is my karma.

I need to eliminate the replicas shaped like Bang Haeun, but from calling her name so many times, 16 Fake Haeuns have spawned.

‘Hmm, this will take some time?’

…The moment I thought that, Boram’s energetic voice came from behind me.

“S-Sora! I-I’ll help you!”

Crack-crack-crack-crack-crack!

Before I could even answer, Bang Haeun’s replicas shattered into pieces simultaneously. Incomparably more breathtakingly violent destruction than Bang Haeun’s pulverization.

This is our Boram’s Remote Nail Attack spell, the technique she used to slice the Deathworm into pieces. Since Shapeshifters are monsters without blood, it didn’t evoke physiological disgust, but the overwhelming power left even me speechless.

How can she reveal such a precious technique in front of villains?

Anyway, I received help.

Swoooosh—

The clay doll dust flew toward a single point in the distance again. But this time it couldn’t clump into clay and was swirling in a whirlwind through the air.

“Entering final phase! Everyone maintain formation!”

When Shapeshifters are about to disappear, they no longer clump together. This state means they’ll explode soon. After waiting a bit longer, the whirlwind began rotating at a fierce speed.

Whoooosh—

The dust tornado made a loud noise while fleeing deep into the hair salon interior.

And shortly after,

Boom—

An explosion sound rang out.

Meaning we successfully defeated the monsters.

“Finally over!”

“How many attempts was that?”

“43?”

Some cadets cheered, but Gyeon Junhwi calmly relayed the next instructions.

“Don’t move carelessly yet. If powder remains and reacts with mana, it can regenerate.”

If you accidentally step on Shapeshifter powder, there’s a possibility the hard-won defeated monsters could revive by reacting to an Awakened’s mana. Meaning we can’t move until all that dust disappears.

Gyeon Junhwi held a mana tracker and swept the floor, starting to search for traces of fine powder. Meanwhile, I clenched my fists and mentally prepared myself.

‘Come on, villain!’

We were too busy with monsters earlier so it passed, but now is about the right timing for Bang Haeun to attack Yeon Sora.

But,

“I’ll check together.”

Unexpectedly, Bang Haeun pulled out a tracker and went next to our Junhwi to start powder tracking work.

‘This is a bit… problematic.’

Bang Haeun needs to reveal her villain nature for me to start plundering in earnest, but that bitch won’t reveal her true nature.

“Yeon Sora!”

Instead, one of Bang Haeun’s team members was glaring at me viciously. The guy who had a staring contest with me earlier over Bang Haeun and Ki Hyeonmin’s abilities.

“What?”

“You, what did you do with that gun?”

‘Aha!’

Only then did I understand the situation.

Bang Haeun is the mastermind’s daughter!

If the mastermind properly educated her at home, she’ll follow the iron rule that dirty work should be delegated to others.

She seems to have passed off attacking Yeon Sora to her lackeys. And that lackey is looking at me with bulging eyes.

“You shot Bang Haeun’s sword with that gun! After that, Bang Haeun’s attack power became strange!”

“You think that’s because of this gun?”

“What other reason is there?”

“If one hit from a toy gun breaks a legendary-grade holy sword… wouldn’t that mean there’s a problem with the holy sword?”

“……”

“Is that even genuine?”

“……”

This impudent bastard. How dare a villain lackey try to compete with Yeon Sora!

I rolled up my sleeves, planning to tease him more, but I couldn’t.

Because two people blocked my path.

As expected, Ki Hyeonmin and Yeom Juwan.

“Stop it.”

“Sora, what you just said could sound rude.”

“I can’t even do this?”

“……”

“We agreed to cooperate. This time you were wrong. Go apologize.”

There’s a limit even to being kind, is this tolerance for real?

As expected, these kids are the biggest obstacle.

Still, I need to do what my babies tell me.

“I’m sorry. I had no bad intentions. I can’t control my mouth either.”

“……”

I politely bowed 90 degrees to the lackeys to apologize, but the atmosphere remained cold.

‘Well, this isn’t bad either.’

Good, good.

An atmosphere where it wouldn’t be strange at all for anyone to betray anyone. The perfect environment for cultivating villains.

What I need now is one final push.

The opportunity will come soon enough, so there’s no need to rush.

“First zone cleared! Bang Haeun and I will do internal observation, so the rest start searching for the flag.”

At Gyeon Junhwi’s voice, the eyes of Bang Haeun’s lackeys gleamed. And,

“Go quickly!”

“Search the drawers first!”

They rushed out like a starting gun had fired for a race.

* * *

The 2nd floor tutorial is a flag game.

A single flag is hidden in this hair salon where we’re standing, and the person who discovers that flag becomes the flag owner. The flag owner can designate 9 people to accompany them to the next stage.

That’s why the villain lackeys are rushing like this.

In this atmosphere, how anxious would they be if Yeon Sora became the flag owner, right?

“Find it quickly!”

“Check the drawers too!”

Clattering noises came from everywhere. While Bang Haeun’s lackeys turned the hair salon upside down, I chatted with Boram.

“S-Sora! The flag… what does it look like?”

“Didn’t you see when Professor Joo showed it earlier?”

“Nope!”

“It’s about this big….”

There’s a reason I’m so leisurely.

Because there’s no flag in this zone.

If there were, our Junhwi wouldn’t have given the signal.

“Hehe, S-Sora! Look at this! The comb is this small! The, the mirror too!”

“Really?”

“This… it would be g-good for using on ‘that’!”

Boram is selecting fairy props from the hair salon ruins. I also touched various props and discovered a peculiar palm-sized plastic bottle.

When I pressed the button, water sprayed out, which was quite fascinating.

“Wow! This was a spray bottle!”

“I, I know! It, it sprays mist!”

“Not bad? We can take this too, right?”

While Boram and I plundered the hair salon like that, Seong Hayul silently followed behind us. Yeom Juwan tried to help the lackeys search for the flag, but,

“Not here, check over there.”

He was being subtly excluded. Honestly my blood pressure is rising, but I barely held back since punishment comes later.

Meanwhile, Ki Hyeonmin, flag or whatever, went toward the hair salon entrance to survey outside the barrier. He’s collecting clues about where in Gangnam-gu this hair salon is located.

How much time passed like that.

“Doesn’t seem to be here.”

“Must be inside there?”

The lackeys who finished searching headed toward Gyeon Junhwi and Bang Haeun. The two stood before the hallway holding measuring devices.

Shapeshifter powder still remains inside the hallway. We can only enter and search once that powder disappears.

“This hair salon is big?”

“H-hair and makeup are done together! I-inside there’s also a makeup room! If you go there… th-there are lots of brushes! P-professional ones!”

“Isn’t it better to just buy new brushes?”

“M-makeup brushes, old ones are often better! N-nowadays they only make basic ones….”

“That’s convenient. Grab everything you like!”

“Okay!”

Boram plans to take plenty of useful beauty supplies while we’re here, flag or whatever.

While we relaxed like this, the lackeys stared at the hallway with rigid postures.

“……”

“……”

The flag is beyond that hallway, and whoever finds it owns it. Once the dust scattered on the floor disappears, the lackeys will rush over to search for the flag.

Perfect timing to provoke villains!

“Junhwi, how much longer do we have to wait?”

“Let’s see. About 10 minutes?”

“Then can I do some filming in the meantime?”

“Do as you like.”

“Thanks.”

Whiiirr—

As soon as I got my baby’s permission, I moved the Drone Eye.

Where to?

Obviously to the forbidden zone everyone is waiting to enter. My Drone Eye is a flying object, so it can see inside without stepping on the ground.

“Wait!”

As expected, one of Bang Haeun’s lackeys shouted loudly.

“If Yeon Sora film inside… you will discover the flag first!”

You make a valid point.

But I smiled brightly and answered confidently.

“Doesn’t matter, right? We’re all allies. Don’t worry, even if I become the flag owner, I’ll go with everyone. Don’t you trust me?”

“E-even so, this isn’t right! It’s unfair that only you have a Drone Eye and use it!”

“Huh? You said it was fine earlier though?”

“When did I!”

“You said it was fine that only Bang Haeun brought a legendary-grade holy sword. That procuring such weapons is also ability. Then isn’t bringing a Drone Eye also my ability?”

“……”

“Plus this isn’t even from my parents, the academy gave it to me? It’s purely my ability, right?”

Yes, the atmosphere is good.

At this level, it’s the perfect situation for Bang Haeun, who wears a righteous mask, to step in instead of her lackeys! Not the lackey but the mastermind’s daughter should step up!

The wait wasn’t long.

Bang Haeun, who had been looking inside the hallway, turned around to look this way.

“Yeon Sora, I don’t think that’s right.”

* * *

I can see the summit! Finally Bang Haeun will become a villain and I can plunder!

…Contrary to expectations, Bang Haeun responded relatively civilly.

“Using the Drone Eye has fairness issues.”

“Why?”

“Combat weapons provide advantages in removing obstacles called monsters, but the Drone Eye provides overwhelming advantage for the final goal called the flag. At this level, these are unequal conditions that can be challenged. Because it’s ethically problematic.”

“So you’re saying it violates cadets’ rights?”

“There’s concern it could appear that way, so I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain.”

It’s all bullshit.

Still, after nodding once, I provided an amazing solution.

“Then let’s ask the class representatives! Class representatives have authority to judge violations of cadets’ rights, right?”

“……”

“……”

The lackeys are looking at me with ‘how shameless’ expressions. And for good reason—the freshman class representatives are Gyeon Junhwi and Ki Hyeonmin. Obviously they’ll take my side.

‘I don’t know about Ki Hyeonmin though….’

Gyeon Junhwi will definitely take my side. He’s an accomplice actively supporting Yeon Sora’s plunder operation.

But Junhwi smiled brightly and said something unexpected.

“Yeon Sora, this doesn’t seem like an issue for class representatives to decide. Because it’s a conflict of interest.”

“Really?”

“Someone could challenge that we pursued trivial benefits. So let’s decide democratically, by vote.”

“……”

“……”

The lackeys’ briefly relaxed faces hardened again.

There are 10 people voting total.

Our team has 6, theirs has 4.

Five people on our team are soul-bound, and the only person worth swaying is Seong Hayul… but those 4 happen to be the ringleaders who ostracized Seong Hayul.

‘So that’s why.’

I finally understood why Junhwi specifically pulled in Seong Hayul. Other cadets might be swayed by tempting offers, but Seong Hayul has nowhere else to stick besides us.

Anyway.

The vote result obviously passed.

It was a very democratic procedure.

“Then we’ll reflect the majority opinion?”

“……”

“……”

“……”

I confidently flew the Drone Eye over their glum faces.

Whiiiiirr—

My Drone Eye thoroughly searched the forbidden zones one by one, and before long I discovered the flag.

One of the makeup rooms. It was stuck inside a brush holder.

“The person who finds this owns it, right?”

“……”

“……”

“……”

Like this, Yeon Sora became the flag owner.

Bang Haeun and the lackeys had no response. Seeing they won’t even protest, they’re probably devising villain-like strategies via DM.

‘Yeah, hurry up!’

Dealing with cautious villains really doesn’t suit my personality. Like Baek Hyeonjung openly going ‘Yeon Sora! Come out!’ would be comfortable for me, comfortable for you, fast development—how nice would that be, huh?

But the masterminds in <On the Brink of Destruction> are like this.

Brutally meticulous, cautious, and secretive. The daughter raised by such masterminds is the same.

Anyway.

This time the moment of plunder is truly right before my eyes.

I waited until the Shapeshifter powder on the floor disappeared, then,

“You can enter now.”

“Then I-I’ll get my flag?”

I shamelessly entered inside and retrieved the flag.

The tutorial flag is quite small. Just palm-sized at most.

If I write my name on the bright red triangular cloth, I’ll be recognized as this flag’s owner.

“S-Sora! A-amazing! H-how do you write the name?”

Our Boram, you really didn’t prepare for class at all, did you?

But that’s my responsibility. I kindly explained to Boram while demonstrating.

“If you turn this end of the flagpole, something like a pencil comes out, see? You can only write names with this pencil. You can erase names with the eraser at this pencil’s tip.”

“Ohhh!”

“If you steal someone else’s flag, you also need to erase the name with this eraser and write your name.”

“I-I have to steal too?”

“Not now, but in the next trial you’ll have to steal someone else’s flag. That’s how you clear the 2nd floor.”

“Oh! O-okay!”

“Why are you dawdling?”

Because I was taking too much time, one of Bang Haeun’s lackeys snapped. The air is full of betrayal energy.

‘But even this isn’t enough.’

The angelically kind Yeom Juwan and Ki Hyeonmin won’t acknowledge them as villains with just this.

What matters is action. Not almost betraying, but actually making them betray.

“Write your name.”

“I’ll write it now. Let me think for a moment.”

“Think about what?”

“I’m not sure what handwriting style to use.”

Making such excuses, I raised the flagpole pencil. But before writing my name, there’s something to do.

【Checking ‘Yeon Sora’s’ comprehensive stats.】

▷ Consumable Stats

– Stamina 1/1

– Mana 6/13

▷ Non-Consumable Stats

– Strength 1

– Durability 1

– Agility 0 – Intelligence 15

This morning I used some mana making a few more incapacitation weapons.

But I can still use it 6 more times.

That’s enough.

Author's Thoughts

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Dawn

Hello! If you any questions and if you found any errors on my translations, please do @ me on our discord server (@_dawn24) since I might miss your comment here. FYI, you can periodically check my Patreon page where I usually uploaded the completed version of the novels that I translated (including regular and advanced chapters), they come with a discounted price too!

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