Ch. 36

“Gasp! Gasp!”

The last student from the exam, who had been breathing heavily, collapsed to the ground. With that, the Silver exams for the students who had just gathered were officially concluded.

None of them measured up to Lee Hyunwoo. It would be an insult to even call them a lesser version of him. I had expected this, but seeing it with my own eyes and experiencing it firsthand made the reality hit even harder.

If I had to point out any positives, two of them showed some potential.

They weren’t here just because they appeared in the newspaper or had connections with Irina. They were genuinely skilled students who wanted to improve, and they were facing a judge who wouldn’t go easy on them.

They were students who wanted to break through their limits and truly advance.

“Thank you for your hard work. Unfortunately, it seems you’ve failed this promotion exam.” 

“…Yes, it seems so.” 

“Don’t be too discouraged. If you keep trying, you can definitely improve. I hope to see you again next time.”

I meant every word. This student had a genuine desire to improve. I hope these kinds of students don’t succumb to reality and take the easy path. Someday, that decision could lead to catastrophic consequences.

“Good job.”

The Bronze-ranked student straightens up and leaves the examination room.

There’s nothing I can do if they go to another examiner. I can’t stop them. No, I can’t even if I wanted to.

If the immediate reality is a problem, then it’s an unavoidable choice.

Moreover, to the students, I, the Silver Gatekeeper, must seem like the worst of the worst.

I could ease up a bit, but there are Gold promotion exams and even higher-level assessments to consider. If they remain stuck at Bronze without moving up to Silver, they risk academic probation.

It’s no wonder they’re struggling with the promotion to Silver.

‘Honestly, if someone asked me that, I’d feel pretty guilty.’

There are certainly reasons for blocking Silver promotions that benefit me. I won’t deny that. I need to survive. It’s my only powerful weapon.

But I didn’t take that as my sole purpose or reason. I want the students who can’t seem to get past this point to grow stronger.

Being mocked for being Bronze, being looked down upon for being Silver. But when it comes to the actual competition, they end up losing to those Bronze and Silver students. If that raises the overall level of the academy students, then that’s a good thing.

Even if it’s a forced justification for my own sake, so be it.

Soon, a great catastrophe will begin, and whether they are veterans or newcomers, they will be thrown into the fray and weeded out.

In that process, I hope at least one of those students survives. This is not a mere excuse.

Honey, don’t let your heart weaken. Since you’ve taken on the role of a Gatekeeper, be more ruthless. This is for me and for them, so have confidence.

“Still, not bad at all.” 

“Pardon?”

Maybe I said that a bit too loudly. Kim Suhyeon responds, thinking I was talking to her.

“I wasn’t talking to you, Suhyeon. I was referring to the student from earlier and the one before that.” 

“Oh….” 

“They really put in the effort. I felt a bit guilty for them.”

In the end, those who work hard must be defeated. Those who strive to surpass must be held back.

Both for me and for them, rewards for growth await. But it’s bittersweet. It’s not a pleasant situation.

“Examiner Baek Seojin.”

After a brief silence, Kim Suhyeon suddenly raises her hand, as if she’s in school and shouting, “Me!”

“I want to take the promotion exam now.” 

“Now?” 

“Yes. I want to take the exam too.”

It’s unexpected, but not a bad idea. It’s better for Kim Suhyeon to do it as soon as possible. The exam can only be taken once a day, and the trait “No Pain, No Gain” can also be activated once a day. Every day that passes is a loss. So, doing it right away is beneficial.

“Shall we start the exam right away? There’s less than 30 minutes left in the lecture.”

Nodding at my words, Kim Suhyeon stands on the opposite side of me.

◎ No Pain, No Gain 

Trait activated. 

Target – Kim Suhyeon

I immediately activate the trait and observe Kim Suhyeon.

‘Surprisingly… her stance is good?’

Kim Suhyeon is a weaponry type. I expected her to take a clumsy stance. But now that I see her, her stance is already above average.

There are no noticeable gaps.

Sure, if someone forced their way in, there might be openings , but up until now, she appears flawless.

The issue is that the exam isn’t just about stance.

“Suhyeon.” 

“...” 

“Suhyeon?”

She stood frozen, not doing anything.

This is an exam. It’s her chance to showcase her skills to the fullest. Yet, Kim Suhyeon is overly focused on my movements, clearly tense.

I wonder if she’s a defensive type, so I decide to test her by making an initial attack.

Thwack—

The sword in Kim Suhyeon’s hand is knocked out of her grip and embeds itself into the ground. She stops and stares at me, unsure of what to do next.

“I-I’m sorry, Examiner! I’ll try again!”

But the second chance yields the same result. She barely manages to swing her sword before losing it again.

Is she lacking strength? No, that’s not the issue. The real problem is that she lacks confidence in her own abilities.

Her sword was clearly ready to defend against my attack. She anticipated where I would strike and when.

Yet, she hesitates in that crucial moment, unable to trust herself. That hesitation turns into a freeze, preventing her from executing her moves properly.

At this rate, she won’t be able to pass the exam.

It’s not that she lacks the skill to perform; it’s just that she doesn’t believe in herself enough. I never expected her to have such a lack of confidence.

‘What should I do?’

I watch Kim Suhyeon, who looks more defeated than when we started, and I ponder how to draw out her true abilities.

Encouragement? That won’t work. I can’t keep cheering her on indefinitely. After all, an exam is a battle in itself. You can’t win a fight with just encouragement.

The foundation of combat lies in having a sense of enmity and anger towards your opponent. It’s about instilling the will to win.

“Suhyeon.”

So, I decided to try a different approach.

“Can you tell me when was the last time you were really angry?” 

“Angry…?” 

“Yeah. A time when you were really furious.”

Kim Suhyeon pauses, contemplating, before cautiously speaking.

“Jung Yuhyeon….” 

“What?” 

“When you got hurt because of Jung Yuhyeon.”

It seems I asked a foolish question.

Thinking back to when the seed of anger was planted, the answer becomes clear.

“Well, Suhyeon, let’s do this… imagine I’m Jung Yuhyeon right now.” 

“You? How can you be Jung Yuhyeon? You’re my examiner!”

She shakes her head vehemently, as if the idea is absurd. It’s the first time I’ve seen her react so dramatically. This gives me confidence that my approach might work.

“Okay, Suhyeon. Close your eyes and think back to that day. The day when my clothes were soaked in blood.” 

“Blood….” 

“That day, Jung Yuhyeon’s dagger grazed my side. If it had been just a bit deeper, I could have suffered serious internal injuries. If that had happened, it wouldn’t have ended with just a little blood.”

I apologized to Jung Yuhyeon in my mind. Since we’re not on good terms anyway, I might as well use him.

“And you said he told me that I just a filthy orphan.”

Honestly, I hesitated to say that last part. I must have thought about it ten times before deciding to go through with it.

Clang—

I can see that my strategy is working as Kim Suhyeon’s sword comes flying toward me.

‘But….’

But why are her eyes turning so red?

“Jung Yuhyeon.”

In that moment, I wondered if I should just stop this.

Is this really the same Kim Suhyeon who hesitated to attack just moments ago? Now, she’s launching furious strikes at me, filled with rage.

Swish— Boom—!

This is insane. Is this really the same Kim Suhyeon who couldn’t even defend herself a moment ago? Now she’s swinging her sword as if daring me to try and block it?!

Her eyes are bloodshot, and it’s clear she’s genuinely angry. But amidst that fury, her attacks are precise and fluid.

She’s launching slashing attacks from the front, only to suddenly switch to thrusts. The strikes are sharp and deadly, executed with a grace that’s almost mesmerizing. I remember Lee Hyunwoo couldn’t even manage this level of attack transition.

I can see why the villains targeted Kim Suhyeon. Just a flicker of anger has unleashed this level of power, and if she were brainwashed, she would be even more formidable.

“Ugh!”

I barely manage to dodge her attack, but she follows up with a strike that catches me off guard.

If I had taken that hit directly, I might have been seriously injured.

Each attack is lethal, aimed at critical points—chest, neck, abdomen, and face. Kim Suhyeon’s blade is precisely targeting all the vital areas.

This feels like fighting a completely different person.

It’s Kim Suhyeon wielding the sword, but it doesn’t feel like her at all.

‘She’s skilled. Yes, it’s threatening, but….’

As time passes, I notice Kim Suhyeon’s breathing becoming more labored. It’s impossible for her to maintain such a high tempo without tiring out.

“Hah, hah….”

Just in time, the red glint in her eyes begins to fade.

‘This is the end of the exam.’

Her swordsmanship is on par with Lee Hyunwoo’s, but she lacks the stamina to support it. She also needs time to regain control of her mind before entering a battle.

Thus, the result is, unsurprisingly, a failure in promotion.

“Ow!”

Before Kim Suhyeon can catch her breath, I close the distance and lightly tap her on the head. She stumbles back, staring at me in shock.

“Good job, Suhyeon.” 

“Examiner….” 

“Unfortunately, you’ve failed the promotion today. Your attacks were great, but you exhausted yourself too quickly.”

Kim Suhyeon doesn’t respond. She simply looks at me, and then suddenly stands up straight.

“I’m so sorry! Examiner! I’m really sorry!!” 

“Huh? No, you did well! Why are you apologizing?” “

I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to get so angry!”

It seems that she’s really troubled by how fiercely she attacked me.

I can’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. There’s a low chance of any significant change, but I still want to check.

- Activating The Third Eye.

◎ Kim Suhyeon

A genius consumed by inferiority.

◎ Details 

All abilities are temporarily reduced. Prolonged inferiority could result in permanent power loss. Improper development could lead to catastrophic consequences.

◎ Seed List

Wrath, Admiration.

Yes, as expected, aside from that seed, there’s no other change.

◎ Notification 

Future traits may change.

Finally, it has appeared.

Yuyu: Yay! SY is growing!

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