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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Supporter
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Good morning— Ba-ba-ba-bam-bam—♬
I fumbled above my head and turned off my phone alarm.
"Ugh… I keep meaning to change this damn alarm, but I always forget…"
I got up from bed and stretched.
Turning my gaze to the window, the outside was still dark, the sun not yet risen.
Today, I had to wake up a little earlier than usual.
That was because today was the day for 'Live Gate Training.'
Velvet Academy students go out for gate subjugation one full day a week.
Although the specific day varies according to each person's timetable, it was a mandatory training that academy students had to participate in once a week.
I finished getting ready and stepped out of the dormitory.
"Ah, Gukbap must be waiting."
It would have been nice if Kang Dohee or Shin Sehee could have joined, but due to their timetables, only Gukbap could match the Live Gate Training day.
It had been a while since we had a shared schedule.
We had been separated and hadn't been able to do anything together for a while. Anticipation filled my chest.
As I stepped out of the Valor Hall dormitory, Gukbap was standing by the entrance, her eyebrows furrowed into a V-shape, arms crossed.
It seemed she had been waiting for quite some time, as there was a childish drawing on the ground at her feet.
It was the bizarrely hideous face of a man.
'She can't draw, can she?'
I thought to myself as I approached Lee Yuri.
She glared at me.
"You're late."
"You're early. And don't you know it takes longer for guys to get ready?"
I chuckled and said.
"…You only use being a man to your advantage when it suits you, don't you?"
Lee Yuri said in a sulky voice.
"If you're jealous, then be born a man."
"What are you talking about? Just shut up and let's go. If we don't leave now, we'll be late."
Lee Yuri walked ahead with slightly faster steps.
"Walking like this, just the two of us. It reminds me of the old days, doesn't it? When we cleared a gate together."
I walked beside her and said.
"…That was just a little while ago, though?"
"Gate training is conducted in groups, right?"
"Yeah. Even though it's training, we're still entering an actual gate. So we need to form a party."
"Hmm, I wonder who we'll be grouped with…"
Then, she looked at me with an expectant expression.
"I'm pretty sure I knew of a decent tanker…"
I playfully glanced sideways and said.
"I heard that person is quite picky. Would they even take me on?"
"Th-they'd take me on! And I'm not picky!"
Lee Yuri stammered slightly as she replied.
"Huh? Why are you answering that?"
I asked back with a questioning look.
"…"
Lee Yuri bit her lip and quickened her pace.
I immediately followed behind her.
"Wait up. It's a joke. Just a joke."
"…Hey."
"Seriously, we haven't done anything together since the Camelot Forest incident. Our party activities are only possible on weekends. I've wanted to be in the same group as you all along."
Then, Gukbap's cheek twitched slightly. But she quickly hardened her expression.
She was already in a better mood, but her pride seemed to prevent her from showing it immediately.
"W-who said I would…?"
"Please, wouldn't you do it just this once? Our party's one-of-a-kind, incomparably reliable, Gukbap-like Tanker? I'm doomed without you!"
I spoke to her in a humble tone.
Then, she puffed out her chest and cleared her throat as if she couldn't help it.
"Ahem—! A-alright! Just this once!"
She's really too easy.
I let out a small laugh.
* * *
We headed to the Central Plaza.
About 100 people were already gathered there.
Among them were not only newly admitted freshmen but also some seniors.
Seniors whom we hadn't had a chance to meet before because their dormitories were separated.
Distinguishing them from the freshmen was simple.
"Hey, where are Mad Dog and Heavenly Fire?"
"Looks like their gate subjugation day isn't today."
"Ugh, damn it. They're out? Everyone else is just chaff. Why do we have to babysit these brats!?"
"They said we get penalty points reduced if we do this, so what can we do? We have to…"
Almost all the people eagerly searching for capable freshmen were seniors.
Among those seniors,
one person caught my eye.
While other seniors were busily moving around, searching,
a green-haired woman with a benevolent air stood alone, consistently wearing a faint smile.
Just then,
the short-haired senior, who seemed to have a bad temper and had been complaining about having to babysit the kids, approached us.
"You, there."
She pushed my shoulder as she passed and spoke to Lee Yuri.
"Are you Lee Yuri?"
"Yes."
"You were first among the tankers during the position training, right?"
"Yes, but…?"
"Tsk. Anyway, all you newbies are pretty much the same, so I don't know how useful you'll be…"
She scrutinized Lee Yuri from head to toe with an overbearing attitude.
"We're picking group members later, okay? Come to me then."
"Oh, um…"
Lee Yuri hesitated, unable to flat-out refuse since the person in front of her was a senior she'd never met before.
"What are you thinking about? Don't you know me?"
"Who are you…?"
"A-rank Hunter, Kim Suhyun."
At her words, Lee Yuri made a subtle expression.
'Lee Yuri doesn't really have much interest in the hunter industry.'
She had barely even heard the names of Shin Sehee or Kang Dohee, who were talked about everywhere.
When Lee Yuri seemed not to know her, the short-haired senior sighed as if dumbfounded.
"Ha, seriously, so you're a newbie who doesn't even know the Hunter world, just like they say? Hey, if a senior tells you to come, you just come."
I felt a surge of irritation at her continuously rude remarks towards my party member.
"Excuse me."
When I interjected from the side, she frowned and turned her head.
"Hmm? What are you, a guy…?"
"Lee Yuri and I plan to go with someone else."
I placed my hand on Lee Yuri's shoulder.
"What?"
The woman glared.
"We're going with that person."
I pointed a finger at the green-haired senior who was smiling brightly.
"Hey, you're going to be in the same group as that airhead?"
She let out a hollow laugh, as if in disbelief.
"Don't bother. You're a man, so maybe you don't know— no, never mind. Hey, guy. I don't care if you go or not, but what, is she yours or something?"
"Yes, she's my party member."
I met her eyes directly and replied.
"…What?"
Lee Yuri turned her head to look at me.
I tightened my grip on Lee Yuri's shoulder.
"And I think that person will be much better than you, Senior."
"You crazy b—"
She scowled and raised her hand, her pride seemingly wounded.
But,
Click-clack—
"Has everyone arrived?"
At Director Rina's appearance, she clicked her tongue and turned back.
"You're lucky."
She didn't even know Gukbap already had her shield ready, so lucky indeed.
Anyway.
I turned my head sideways and shifted my gaze to the small girl with purple twin tails.
'Oh, Director Rina is overseeing the Live Gate Training?'
It certainly made sense.
Even though it was called training, this training involved freshmen participating in actual combat.
To ensure the students' safety, it was certain that she would be in charge of this training.
"Welcome, students. I'm sure you've all heard about what kind of training this class is."
"Yes!"
The students nodded and replied.
"Live Gate Training is the very root of our Velvet Hunter Academy. By undergoing this training, you can truly be called a student."
At Director Rina's words, the students straightened their chests with proud expressions.
Live Gate Training.
This was also why Velvet Academy was recognized worldwide.
A system that sent students into gates for regular subjugation.
When gates first appeared on Earth, even countries that actually fell into ruin, Korea was able to recover quickly thanks to those two driving forces: 'Velvet Hunter Academy' and the 'Hunter Management Bureau.'
So, although many academies sprang up like mushrooms after rain, adopting Velvet Academy's system in other countries,
they still haven't shown results comparable to Korea's.
It's not for nothing that Velvet Hunter Academy is called the world's best academy.
"Anyway, there's no need to waste time repeating what everyone already knows. I will begin without further ado. We will be forming parties, so second-year students, please step forward."
Twenty seniors stepped forward and stood before us.
"Each of you, go forward to the second-year students you wish to work with and state your position. The seniors will then select appropriate combinations."
A murmur grew among the freshmen students.
They had belatedly realized the meaning behind the seniors' eager actions from a moment ago.
And the senior who had been rude to Lee Yuri earlier.
Whether her reputation among hunters was true or not, the line of freshmen in front of her was the longest.
"Next."
The short-haired senior listened to the position of the freshman in line before her, then clicked her tongue as if it wasn't even worth looking at.
"Next!"
"Tsk, next—!"
"Is there not one useful brat? Next!"
She continued to impatiently call for the next student, filtering them out.
On the other hand, the green-haired woman whom I had been watching from the beginning.
No one was standing in front of her yet.
"Gukbap."
"Huh?"
"Let's go over there."
I gestured with my head towards the green-haired woman I had been observing.
"But I've been meaning to ask, who is that senior? Do you know her?"
I paused, organized my thoughts at Lee Yuri's question, and then spoke.
"Hmm, she's quite…"
"Quite?"
"Extremely…"
"Extremely?"
"She's someone who costs a lot of money."
"…Money?"
At those words, Lee Yuri's face stiffened.
I chuckled and grabbed Lee Yuri's wrist, pulling her along.
"You two will get along quite well too."
"Ah, I don't think so!?"
Lee Yuri was dragged along, much like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.