...
Instructor Velk began to call the groups together for the presentation, analyzing each proposal with a critical eye. As the cadets explained their plans, he occasionally asked incisive questions, dismantling weak arguments with surgical precision or highlighting flaws that, until then, no one had noticed. It wasn't uncommon to see one or other student turn pale at his comments, sweating under the pressure.
The tension in the room only increased with each group called on.
I watched everything carefully, with my arms crossed, while Nayun seemed restless, tapping her foot on the floor with an involuntary tic. Yeonha stood motionless next to us, eyes squinted, as if she were silently evaluating every mistake the others made, storing it away so we wouldn't repeat it.
"Next group... Cadets Theo Sagan, Chae Nayun and Yoo Yeonha"
Velk finally called out to us, his voice as firm as the crack of a whip.
We stood up. I was the first to step forward, Nayun right behind, straightening her posture as if the laziness had been knocked out of her.
Yeonha followed us haughtily, her serene expression contrasting with the analytical glint in her eyes. Each step towards the center of the room echoed louder than seemed reasonable, but perhaps that was just my perception, heightened by the mood.
We stopped in front of the floating hologram, which now displayed the map of the military installation we had been studying. The pale blue glow of the map's lines painted subtle reflections on the faces around us, while the attentive eyes of the class turned to us. Or rather, at me. It was obvious that they expected me to lead the presentation.
Velk crossed his arms, his countenance as hard as stone.
"Begin."
I looked at Nayun and Yeonha, keeping my expression neutral, and then activated the smartwatch interface, projecting additional information next to the hologram.
"Our initial analysis ruled out the main entrance. As expected, it's an obvious trap: watchtowers, motion sensors, layers of overlapping magical barriers. However, we discovered patterns in the defense system's energy records that indicate fluctuations on lower floors. We've concluded that some of the magical barriers are worn out or irregularly maintained."
I began, pointing to the areas on the map that stood out in red.
There was a murmur in the room. They knew the analysis wasn't wrong, because the hologram itself was now showing the additional information.
"So we opted for indirect infiltration. There's a ventilation system that connects these floors to the outside, and if we temporarily disable the security system by shorting out the external generator, we can access the duct during the emergency protocol recalibration window."
I left a brief silence after speaking, as if giving space for someone to question me. Velk didn't move.
Yeonha then entered, her voice calm and precise.
"In addition, we propose using a simulated digital fault to compromise the sensors and, at the same time, divert the patrols' attention elsewhere in the facility. This creates a distraction and allows the infiltration team to have a clear route. This facility's digital defenses are old; our analysis indicates that the network has obsolete protocols, making the attack disguised as an internal breach highly feasible."
Velk's eyes narrowed, but he didn't interrupt. Which was already a good sign.
Nayun was the last to speak, leaning forward a little with a smile that didn't hide her amusement.
"And for the extraction, we use the sewage system. It's not glamorous, but it's functional. While they deal with the distraction we've created, we leave quietly by a route that no one in their right mind would think of using to escape."
Her last sentence drew some muffled laughter from the class. But when Velk glanced at the audience, the silence returned as quickly as it had broken.
"So, recap."
Velk said, his voice impassive, as if testing our clarity.
I nodded and continued.
"Infiltration through the ventilation duct. Temporary system shutdown via short-circuit in external generator. Simulated digital failure to distract patrols. Extraction through the sewage system. The execution time of the operation, from infiltration to exit, estimated at twelve minutes. No casualties, no high alerts."
Velk kept his gaze on us for a few seconds that seemed to stretch beyond reason. His narrowed pupils shifted from me to Nayun, from Nayun to Yeonha. He looked for any sign of doubt, any loophole, but found nothing he could point to.
"The analysis is correct."
He declared at last.
"The use of collateral information and the exploitation of technical flaws shows analytical vision. However..."
His voice dropped a tone, becoming heavier.
"You ignored an important variable. The response time of the internal teams. If the distraction isn't convincing enough, they can ignore the alarm and prioritize the perimeter. How do you guarantee that their attention will be kept for as long as necessary?"
That was the cue I was waiting for. So I answered:
"We'll plant presence signals at other points throughout the complex. Magic emission devices that simulate the mana signature of an infiltration team. This will force them to send verification units to all sectors, fragmenting their strength. The response time of the central teams will be compromised by the very need to check multiple false threats."
Yeonha added soon after, as if we've been combining this for years:
"And with the signatures set up in an erratic pattern, there's no way to distinguish a real threat from a trap until it's too late."
Velk held our gaze a moment longer before giving a brief nod.
"Acceptable."
The word sounded like a consolation prize coming from his mouth, but to anyone who knew Velk, it was a camouflaged compliment.
Nayun smiled openly, relaxing her posture, while Yeonha just gave a discreet, satisfied nod.
We returned to our seats. The silence between us was comfortable, until Nayun leaned towards me.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?"
She said, her voice a debauched whisper.
I smiled back, still watching Velk move on to the next group.
"It's not over yet. Let's see how he rates at the end."
Yeonha closed her eyes for a moment, resting her crossed arms on the table next to Nayun.
"If we make the top three, we can be released from Instructor Velk's first class next week before the others."
Instructor Velk was in charge of the third, fourth and fifth period classes on Mondays; today he only showed up for the first period because instructor Kim Soohyuk was busy with something.
"And if we come first, we get that bonus of points for the ranking."
Nayun added excitedly.
"So that's what you want... It's not just about winning, it's about getting ahead of them. "
I commented, crossing my arms and relaxing a little in my chair.
She gave me a mischievous smile as she pointed her finger in the air.
"Of course. This is a race to the top, Theo."
I smiled back. As lazy as Nayun was when it came to theory, deep down she would never miss a chance to excel when there was competition involved.
That's who she was, her sense of rivalry would never make her try to give up before giving it her all.
"Right, let's watch the rest of the presentations in silence, if the instructor hears us talking you'll lose those points before you even see them..."
Yeonha said, making Nayun lock lips in an instant.
The presentations went on, one after the other, with variations in quality that were evident within the first few minutes of each explanation. Some groups had reasonable strategies, but lacked precision in the details.
Others were too ambitious, proposing complex plans that, under Velk's gaze, quickly fell apart like castles of cards.
"Improvisation is no substitute for preparation..."
The instructor said to one of the groups, his voice cold as metal.
"And you won't always have time to think when you're on a mission. That's why you and your group are likely to have more than one plan saved in your minds..."
The atmosphere in the room remained tense, as if an invisible pressure was compressing the air around us. Nayun had already stopped tapping his foot.
After almost two hours, Velk finally called the last group together. They presented something that sounded like the prey had been discussed. The answers were vague, and their artificial confidence evaporated when Velk fired off a string of questions without any mercy.
Finally, he let out a long sigh, like someone who was slightly bored.
"Enough. Everyone get back to your seats."
The group stumbled away from the center of the room, shoulders slumped and faces haggard. I could almost hear Nayun muttering something like "amateurs" under his breath.
Velk waited a few seconds before speaking again. He was analyzing a report on the hologram, dragging his finger across the floating screen as he reviewed the data. The silence weighed like lead.
Then he faced the class again.
"Most of you... are below average."
There was no surprise in that, but even so, several cadets shrank in their seats, as if the realization were a blade.
"But..."
He continued, with a look that seemed to pierce right through to the soul.
"Four groups showed some understanding of what this task really meant... Not invasion, not rescue, not collection, but how to invade and leave without even running the risk of being completely discovered."
"Fourthly... Yi Yeonghan's group."
There was a collective sigh among some cadets. Yi Yeonghan and his team relaxed, relieved, exchanging discreet looks of celebration.
"Third... Shin Jonghak's team."
I recognized their strategy. Well put together, but risky. Yeonha had predicted that they would be no match for us.
And she was right. There were many flaws in their approach, such as using one of the people as bait....
"And secondly. Rachel Elizabeth Louise."
As expected, using her knowledge and experiences of being a princess, Rachel could be said to be the one who scored the highest out of all the groups, yes, she could even beat my group, her explanation was full of details addressing the pros and cons of her plans with a lot of emphasis... But even with all that, because of one person in her group, she came second.
The person responsible for this was none other than Kim Hajin, hard to believe, right? The guy who possessed almost omniscience in this world was the cause of her group coming second...
'He's really out of it today... Could something have happened?
Out of it' was a rather simple way of putting it, the truth was that Hajin looked very wound up, his eyes were deep, as if he had not slept for long hours.
'...What could have caused it?'
His discovery that the Co-author would directly interfere in the story quite often?
No, I don't think so.
'Did he know that Chae Jinyoon, had fallen into a coma because of the devil's seed?'
Difficult, after all, Chae Jinyoon was no longer in a coma, and even if he was still uncovered on Sunday, Hajin wouldn't be acting like this.
He would have been a little shaken to know that he was the one responsible for having to kill Chae Jinyoon before the demon had fully awakened in the original work, but not like this, dozing off and sleeping on his feet.
'So... Does this involve me and the Co-author?'
...
Note: "At last we've officially reached chapter number 50. Thank you very much for your support, and for sticking with me this far. Thank you very much!"