Me? But I’m not ready! 

You people might’ve grown up seeing monsters, but this is my first time in this novel!

As I blinked desperately, trying to telegraph my panic in Morse code, Yeom Ju-wan stepped forward.

“Sora isn’t fully recovered. I’ll go first.”

My loyal sidekick! 

This was exactly when a named supporting character should replace a nameless extra. 

But Ham’s response came quick and sharp.

“Not permitted.”

“What?”

“Protocol requires students with long-range weapons to start first. Rules are rules.”

“But in Yeon Sora’s condition—”

“If she can walk and stay conscious, she can perform the test.”

Yeom Ju-wan made several more attempts, but Ham So-bong wouldn’t budge. 

As expected of a public servant Hunter. 

They’re trained to follow protocol to the letter.

“Everyone else, stand behind the barrier. That includes you, Yeom Ju-wan.”

“Come on, Ju-wan.”

Lee Hyo-jun had to drag a clearly reluctant Yeom Ju-wan behind the barrier.

“Yeon Sora, look here.”

Before me stood a jet – black Dark Goblin. 

How could a goblin look this terrifying? 

Those blood-red eyes blazed with murderous intent, and it towered over me by two heads. 

Its muscles would put any bodybuilding champion to shame.

Swish!

A steel claw suddenly extended from its hand. 

Hey, isn’t that plagiarizing Wolverine?

The black goblin began swinging its suspiciously familiar claws in a menacing way.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

“Yeon Sora! Draw your weapon! You remember how to use it, right?”

With shaking hands, I pulled out the gun. 

Following Ham So-bong’s earlier instructions, I loaded the magazine and clicked off the safety pin.

Screeeech!

The monster unleashed a deafening roar, its never-brushed breath washing over me. 

The sight of the gun seemed to enrage it further.

Clank! Clank!

The restraining chains looked ready to snap. 

I could really die here. 

If I wanted to live, I had to shoot. 

And I still needed to awaken! 

I had to fire while desperately wishing, “I want the power to create items!”

But… my fingers wouldn’t move. 

Despite facing this terrifying monster, I couldn’t pull the trigger. 

That’s when I realized why.

Am I an idiot?

Taking life requires experience. 

But in my past life, I hadn’t even killed a mosquito. 

I was usually the type to negotiate: “One bite, then leave me alone.” 

If I’d known this would happen, I’d have at least practiced murder on mosquitoes.

“Yeon Sora, hurry! At this rate, we’ll be here until dawn!”

Screeeech!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Pushed by Ham So-bong’s urgency, I squeezed my eyes shut and pulled the trigger. 

The recoil knocked me back a step.

Screeeech!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

I fired several more times, fingers trembling. 

Then silence fell.

Did I hit it?

I cautiously opened one eye to find the completely unscathed goblin staring at me in utter disbelief.

(Are you serious, human?)

…That’s what it was thinking, right? 

Apparently, I could read goblin expressions.

“Wow, not a single hit?”

Ham So-bong sounded equally amazed. 

“Since waiting for you will clearly take all night, you’re going last. Next up, Lee Hyo-jun!”

Ham So-bong moved my turn to the end. 

Having accomplished the impressive feat of making a public servant deviate from protocol, I meekly retreated to the back.

#

Lee Hyo-jun went next.

I expected him to choose a sword, but surprisingly, he opted for a spear.

“Ahhh!”

Clang! Clang! Clatter!

His wildly swung spear collided with the goblin’s claw and went flying.

Now, Hyo-jun was weaponless. 

The goblin licked its lips, eyeing the defenseless kid. 

Just as it lunged with spring-like agility…

Thud!

Graaagh!

I heard the sickening sound of flesh being pierced. 

The goblin collapsed, blood foaming from its mouth.

I only grasped what had happened after seeing the blood pooling below—Ham So-bong had swifty stabbed the goblin’s heart.

“I’ll bring another. Pick up your weapon.”

Whirrrrr!

The carousel of goblins rotated. 

The lifeless goblin was dragged away as a second one “defrosted.”

“Defrosted” might not be the right word, but it seemed apt — like a game of freeze-tag. 

The previously motionless goblin suddenly animated back to life.

Screeeeech!

This second goblin seemed fresher, flopping around energetically like a fish just pulled from water.

And so it went again.

Clang! Clang! Clatter!

Hyo-jun lost his spear on the second try too.

I couldn’t just think, It’s only a goblin.

Hyo-jun was still just a regular kid, fresh out of middle school, barely more than a child. 

It would be strange if an average middle schooler could take down an orc-strong goblin in one strike.

Graaargh!

“Again!”

Whirrrr!

Once more, Ham So-bong saved Hyo-jun from death’s door and summoned another fresh goblin.

Hyo-jun’s face had turned ghostly white.

Isn’t this child abuse?

Forcing children through such ordeals… no wonder this world was doomed!

As I silently cursed it all, when—

Thud!

This time, Hyo-jun’s spear found the goblin’s heart.

Grrr… grrr…

The goblin didn’t die instantly; Hyo-jun’s inexperience left it writhing on the ground, gasping.

Thick, sticky blood pooled from its wound, but Ham So-bong paid it no mind, walking straight to Hyo-jun.

“Well?”

“…”

“Did you awaken?”

“…Yes.”

“What’s your trait?”

“…Isn’t that something I can keep private?”

“Haha, clever kid! Right, never share that with anyone.”

Ham So-bong laughed casually.

Under the Awakeners’ Privacy Protection Act, awakeners weren’t required to disclose their abilities or traits.

Regardless, Hyo-jun had succeeded in awakening.

“Next, Park Ra-hee!”

Park Ra-hee, who had been nervously wringing her hands behind me, stood up. 

I hate to say it, but her timid posture was concerning.

“Examiner, could I… just forfeit awakening? I really… can’t do this…”

Despite her tearful plea, Ham So-bong remained unmoved. 

In the world of <Doomed Academy,> the military draft had been replaced by mandatory awakening tests.

Saying, I’m scared; can I skip awakening? was equivalent to saying, I’m scared; can I skip military service?

“Refusal means five years in prison.”

“…”

“Just endure it somehow. Make it through today.”

Ham So-bong’s tone softened slightly.

Even he seemed uncomfortable forcing children through these trials.

“…Alright.”

Ra-hee mustered the courage to grasp a spear, and the test continued.

Meanwhile, I huddled in a corner, racking my brain.

What should I do?

Watching my group’s trials, one thing became crystal clear: awakening was impossible for me.

Awakening required strong will. 

Having lived a life dedicated to the art of giving up, I couldn’t possibly possess such willpower.

I needed to be realistic and consider alternatives for surviving the outbreak without awakening.

There had to be a way. 

If I just thought hard enough…

Finding no solution, I scanned the area.

The black iron bars of the underground cell caught my eye, faintly glowing with mysterious light.

Those were barrier stones—special stones that could block even A-grade monsters.

Even if an outbreak occurred outside, no monsters could enter this test room as long as these bars held.

There’s also a magic circle.

A complex purple magic circle was inscribed on the floor.

It too was designed to repel up to A-grade creatures.

So if I just stay here, I’ll survive, right?

Hope flickered.

Even during an outbreak, I’d be safe inside this test room.

According to the novel, the Phoenix Guild would send reinforcements within two hours.

If I could just hold out for two hours, I’d survive!

All I needed to do was stretch out the test beyond two hours. 

Ham So-bong might rush me, but…

I’ll use stalling tactics!

I had a plan.

It goes like this:

“Ugh, I can’t shoot!” → “But I want to awaken!” → “I’m so scared though!” → “But I don’t want to give up!” → “But I can’t do it!”

I could loop this forever.

It’s the ‘What are you doing to do about it?’ strategy.

Ham So-bong said we must face ten goblins or face imprisonment for refusing to awaken.

I’d weave that in too.

“You’ll imprison me if I don’t face all ten, right? I don’t want prison!” → “But I can’t do it!” → “But I must!”

With my call center experience, this performance would be easy.

A perfect plan.

“Phew.”

Having a plan brought immense relief.

I won’t die! Thank goodness!

I felt relieved… yet a strange unease still nagged at the back of my mind.

A feeling that I was overlooking something vital.

What is it?

I tried recalling the novel’s beginning again.

In <Doomed Academy,> the awakening test is described from Gyun Jun-hwi’s perspective.

Shortly after Jun-hwi enters the cave, a rift tears open and monsters start to pour out.

Jun-hwi, true to his protagonist nature, awakens instantly and adapts quickly, cutting through the flood of goblins.

Ki Hyun-min arrives late, gives him a curious look, but given the chaos, they fight together.

The story then switches to a guild member’s perspective.

When everything settles, only nine survivors remain.

Why only nine?

The numbers didn’t add up.

In Jun-hwi’s scene, no one dies.

Jun-hwi’s team, the examiner, and Ki Hyun-min—seven people total—survive.

Which means only two people from the other areas made it..

Why?

The outbreak happened right where Jun-hwi was – outside the dungeons.

So why did those in the testing area die? 

There were barrier stones and magic circles here to protect them…

That’s when certain words surfaced in my mind:

—”Unexplained accident.”

The government had labeled this tragedy an “unexplained accident.”

I’d assumed it was just a cover-up, but what if it wasn’t?

What if this tragedy truly was unexplained?

Then, we could consider this hypothesis:

Two incidents occurred during the “Awakening Test Tragedy,” simultaneously. 

One was the outbreak.

The other was an “unexplained accident.”

In other words, the 51 deaths weren’t caused by the outbreak at all. 

The outbreak was a distraction.

Something else occurred within the testing areas that caused all those deaths.