’Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Of all people, I had to bump into Jack?! How cursed can my luck be?!’ Dapper cursed inwardly, running with everything he had. Shinro and Riley followed close behind, barely keeping up.
"Why are we running, bro? Do you know him or sothing?" Shinro asked while catching up, panting hard.
"Yes. He’s a nace, one you absolutely don’t want to cross," Dapper replied, his voice tight with urgency. That was enough for Shinro to realize they were in deeper trouble than he thought. Despite knowing Dapper for just a short ti, he could tell he wasn’t the type to run away without good reason.
"Water Blade!" Riley yelled, swinging her staff as several wind-laced water blades shot toward Jack. They sliced through the air and landed but Jack didn’t even flinch. He kept walking, still unfazed, still closing the distance.
’What the hell? That didn’t even scratch him?’ Riley thought, pushing herself to run harder, until her foot caught a rock.
She tripped.
Before she could recover, Jack was already on her. He stomped her into the ground, his boot pressing down on her head.
"I got you. You’re the noisy one. I’ll deal with you first," Jack said with a grin, grabbing Riley by the neck and lifting her off the ground.
"URGH! HELP !" Riley choked out, her limbs thrashing as Jack’s grip tightened and her eyes bulged from the pressure.
Hearing her cry, Dapper stopped in his tracks and turned. He saw Riley dangling, struggling to breathe. A part of him scread to keep running, just like he would’ve in the past. But another part, the one that rembered how she stalled Jack for him earlier, couldn’t just leave her behind.
’This is why I hate getting attached,’ Dapper grit his teeth, pulling a dagger from his inventory as he turned back and advanced.
"Stay back," he told Shinro, who had begun to chant a spell.
"Jack! Let her go. Your target is , right? I’m done running," Dapper said, his voice calm as he marched forward.
"Ooh~ this is new. I like this," Jack cackled before tossing Riley to the ground. She coughed violently and scrambled to her feet, running past Dapper and joining Shinro.
"I played fair. But if you try to run again, I will kill them next ti—no, I’ll do sothing worse. I’ll make sure they leave this dungeon traumatized for life," Jack said, licking his lips as his evil grin stretched wider.
"I’m not running," Dapper replied coolly. He gestured with a co-hither motion, using his middle finger. "Co at ."
"Heh," Jack chuckled darkly and strolled toward Dapper. Just as he got close, Dapper suddenly whipped out a Mana shotgun and pulled the trigger.
*BANG!*
CLANG—KAN–KAAN—KAN.
The Mana bullet struck Jack’s chest—but bounced off harmlessly, clattering to the the ground like it had hit steel.
"You thought that would work on ? Delusional!" Jack roared, thrilled by the sneak attack. He lunged forward and threw a punch—but Dapper sidestepped just in ti. However, Jack quickly followed up with a second blow.
*CHA—CHING!*
Dapper barely blocked it—his saber clashing with Jack’s wrist in a burst of sparks. He aid to slice it clean off, but his saber couldn’t even scratch Jack’s skin.
The sheer force of the punch sent Dapper skidding backward, panting hard. That block had taken everything he had—and Jack wasn’t even trying.
Dapper stood up again, tightening his grip on his saber.
’My day has never been this bad,’ he thought, his eyes locked on Jack who was still approaching him. But then, a sudden thought flashed in his mind—sothing he had been saving for the right mont.
’Since piercing him is useless... maybe this is the perfect ti to finally try that out,’ Dapper smirked, his lips curling upward. Without hesitation, he dropped his saber to the ground and started walking toward Jack, hands in his pockets just like him.
Seeing Dapper’s sudden shift in attitude, Jack narrowed his eyes. He could feel the bloodlust radiating from Dapper now—raw and suffocating, like that of soone who’d killed thousands.
’What the hell is with this guy now? Sothing’s changed. But I can’t back down...’ Jack thought, continuing his advance.
Shinro and Riley stared with bated breath, so tense they forgot to even breathe. The air felt heavy—charged with pressure and dread.
Suddenly, Jack lunged.
Dapper, still eerily calm, didn’t move a muscle. But just as Jack got within striking range, a dark grin curved across Dapper’s face.
"Die," Dapper muttered.
But in the sa instant, a strange sensation washed over him—and before he could even blink, the scenery changed. He was no longer in the dungeon.
He stood now within the academy’s courtyard, the sa place they had gathered before being teleported earlier.
’Did... did I die before I could even make a move? That monster...’ Dapper thought grimly. But as he looked up, he noticed several other participants standing nearby, including Shinro and Riley.
"What happened back there?" Dapper asked Shinro.
"I’m not sure. We just got teleported back," Shinro replied, just as puzzled. Riley nodded silently in agreent.
’Teleported...?’ Dapper repeated in his head, sighing in relief. But then his thoughts snapped to Shinro, who hadn’t even killed a single Kobold. He couldn’t help but worry if that ant Shinro had failed. He knew the main requirent was to use their system ability, but killing at least one monster had seed implied too.
"Well, well, well," a familiar voice rang out, interrupting his thoughts. A figure materialized out of thin air. It was Deegan. His signature hat tilted to the side, and this ti he held a sleek, glowing tablet in one hand.
"I said I’d be overseeing this year’s enlistnt, didn’t I?" Deegan smirked. "You all spent one hour in that dungeon. Now it’s ti to fish out the fakes."
His creepy grin widened as he scrolled through the tablet before stashing it away and scanning the group. A chill swept through the crowd as Deegan’s piercing gaze landed on them, almost like it could peel back their skin.
Then, without warning, Deegan vanished.
In a blink, he reappeared—this ti standing with several new figures beside him. Shockingly, about four hundred applicants were now tied up and tightly wrapped in thick plastic bags, with only their heads sticking out.
"Hehehe, just as I suspected," Deegan chuckled. "Turns out half the applicants this year are fake. That ans the real ones are very few this year."
The crowd trembled.
"Since these fakes had the nerve to apply and take the military for granted, the chairman has given them a choice," Deegan continued, his voice laced with malice. "If they want to avoid punishnt, they’ll be forced to join as rookie foot soldiers. No talent, no system needed—as long as your limbs work, that’s enough."
He paused, his smirk deepening.
"Otherwise... face the consequences. Hehehe."
Terror spread across the bound applicants’ faces.
’How did he move so fast?!’ Dapper thought, stunned. He hadn’t seen Deegan move, only vanish and reappear in the exact sa spot, all in the blink of an eye.
Turning his head, he saw that Shinro and Riley were still standing beside him, prompting a quiet sigh of relief.
’So it really was about flushing out the fakes after all,’ Dapper thought, nodding to himself.
"Well, I’ve already handled the most important part. I’ll leave the rest to my colleague, Dora, while I go enjoy the little gas I’ve caught," Deegan said with a sheepish smile, his gaze fixed on the bound individuals squirming on the ground.
Then, in a sudden eerie motion, Deegan and the tied-up applicants began to sink into the ground, a swirling dark shadow engulfing them completely. Within seconds, they were gone.
"I-Isn’t that the legendary Shadow Ability?!" Shinro exclaid, awe-struck, while several others in the crowd murmured in excitent. Even Riley looked visibly impressed.
"Shadow ability?" Dapper echoed.
"Yes," Shinro nodded eagerly. "Combat-type system users can unlock a unique ability. It varies from person to person. Like that guy earlier who partially transford into a beast, or the swordsman you fought, that’s all part of their ability. Deegan’s ability is rumored to be the power to control shadows!"
’The ability to control shadows... Abilities...’ Dapper mused. ’Maybe combat-type system users aren’t so bad after all.’
Just then, his attention shifted again as another figure appeared, stepping out of thin air.
A tall woman in a sharp suit and high heels approached. Her hair was neatly tied back into a ponytail, and she wore black-rimd glasses that enhanced her authoritative aura.
"My na is Dora. I’m one of the teachers here at the military academy—and also an elite soldier," she said firmly. "I’ll be taking over from my colleague, Deegan. I want each of you to step forward one by one and state the unique ID given to you during registration."
As she finished speaking, another woman erged from thin air beside her. This one wore a mask and held a large tallic box in her hands.
"Once you’re verified," Dora continued, "you will pay your one-ti tuition fee. That will cover the cost of your gear for the entire duration of your training. Afterward, your SIA will be linked to our server, and you’ll be able to see through the veil behind , where your dormitories will be displayed."
Her voice was flat, emotionless, but commanding.
And just like that, the line of participants began to move forward in an orderly queue.
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