SWNOVELXO Chapter 124 - Bug Catcher (1)
Chapter 124. Bug Catcher (1)
Yuri stiffened with tension.
In contrast, Yulia was all smiles, as if something was amusing her.
Seeing her smile, Yuri felt a surge of wariness.
‘How did she know?’
He hadn’t told anyone about his relationship with Johan. And he didn’t plan on telling anyone in the future either.
‘But how does someone I met for the first time today know about my relationship with the Old Man?’
For a moment, Gunther’s face flashed through Yuri’s mind.
If it were him, the one who took the Trial of Proof alongside Yuri, he would know everything.
‘Did he tell her?’
But Yuri shook his head inwardly.
‘He didn’t seem like someone with a loose tongue.’
So how did she find out?
And as Yuri stared at her with puzzled eyes, Yulia caught on.
She softly smiled and, standing on tiptoe, whispered in Yuri’s ear.
“The eyes of God are always watching the world.”
“…What?”
It seemed she was trying to give him some kind of hint.
But instead, it only pushed Yuri deeper into confusion.
‘God? What kind of nonsense is that?’
Was she implying she had received some sort of divine revelation?
As Yuri was left with a figurative question mark hanging over his head, Jerry approached them.
“What’s this? Do you two know each other?”
At that question, Yuri shook his head.
“No, we just met today.”
“For that, you two seem pretty close.”
At Jerry’s remark, Yulia responded with a playful smile.
Yuri then spoke.
“Aren’t you two the ones who are close?”
“Well, as you can see, we’re comrades.”
Jerry shrugged his shoulders.
On his shoulder was a yellow epaulet, just like the one on Yulia’s shoulder.
She was also part of the 49th cohort.
Noticing this, Yuri glanced at Yulia and asked cautiously.
“Um… how old are you, by any chance?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m eighteen this year.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
There wasn’t a specific age limit for entering the Dragon’s Cradle.
So, it was possible for a senior to be younger than a junior, or for seniors and juniors to be the same age.
Yuri had assumed that Yulia was younger than him.
But now, it turned out she was actually two years older.
As Yuri looked at Yulia in surprise, Jerry nodded understandingly.
“She may look like this, but she’s an adult.”
“…What do you mean by ‘look like this’?”
When Yulia squinted at him, Jerry hastily changed the subject.
“Ah, anyway! This here is the new customer I brought in this time! And the guarantor is…”
Jerry’s face twisted into an uneasy expression as he paused before continuing.
“…It’s me.”
At his half-sigh, Yulia nodded.
“Understood. So, what’s the request? Who’s the person with the matter to discuss?”
Yuri, slightly surprised, asked, “Is that it for the membership procedure? Don’t we have to fill out any membership forms or anything?”
“Nope, we don’t. It would just be a hassle if the membership list got lost or something.”
“Then how do you keep track of who’s a member?”
At his question, Yulia tapped her temple.
“I remember them, so it’s fine.”
From her voice, Yuri could sense immense confidence.
‘Is this the Sage of the Silver Ring?’
The confidence that she could remember all the members’ names without ever forgetting them—this was something only someone of the Sage’s bloodline could have.
“So, who has the matter to discuss? Is it you?” she asked again.
“Yes, it’s me,” Yuri replied, raising his hand.
Yulia glanced at Jerry, seemingly signaling with her eyes for him to leave now that his part was done.
Jerry’s face lit up at the hint.
“Well then, since I’m no longer needed, I’ll take my leave. Good luck with your business…”
Jerry stepped back, but before leaving, he gave Yuri a warning.
“…Please, don’t cause any trouble.”
“Hey, I won’t cause any trouble. Anyway, thanks for your help, Jerry. See you next time!”
At Yuri’s words, Jerry’s face twisted in displeasure. Without answering, he quickly exited the room as if fleeing.
Left alone with Yulia, Yuri smiled and asked, “So, what’s the matter? Are you here for an information trade? Or is there something you need? Should I find it for you?”
“I’m here for an information trade.”
“What information do you want?”
“I want to know the personal details of a certain person. But…”
“But?”
“Is it okay if they aren’t a cadet?”
“Tell me more first. Who is it?”
“It’s someone who managed the facilities at the Northern Agency Breakthrough Quest site from mid to late February. One peculiar point is that they’re suspected to be of the Bone Clan.”
“Bone Clan?”
Yulia’s eyes widened in slight surprise.
Yuri quietly observed her.
‘Is it possible?’
The Bluebird was an information organization run by a single cadet within the Cradle.
Yuri waited silently for Yulia’s response, unsure if their information network could really reach that far.
“Bone Clan… Bone Clan…” Yulia murmured to herself a few times before nodding her head.
“It seems possible.”
Yuri’s eyes widened slightly.
“Really?”
“Yep, the clues you gave me are clear, so it should be easy to identify them. But it might take some time.”
“I’m not in a hurry, so I can wait.”
Honestly, although he had sought out the information organization, he had been half doubtful. Could an information network run by just one cadet really uncover the personal details of someone employed by the Cradle?
Yuri was amazed by the Bluebird’s information network.
“And the fee for this…?” Yulia hinted.
Yuri’s face tensed with concern.
‘The fee… It’s going to be expensive, isn’t it?’
If the price was determined by the difficulty of obtaining the information, this would be quite expensive since they would need to gather new information rather than relying on what they already had.
‘I don’t know how well my negotiation skills will work, but I’ll do my best… to haggle!’
She wasn’t just any ordinary person—she was of the Sage’s bloodline. It was uncertain how effective his negotiation skills would be and how much he could lower the price.
As Yuri steeled himself for the task, Yulia nervously asked, “Um… Could I… Could I maybe get his autograph…?”
“…Pardon?”
Surprised by the unexpected request, Yuri asked back in a deflated voice.
Yulia fidgeted with her fingers as she stammered, “W-Would it be too hard?”
“…What? His autograph?”
“Yes! I’ve always wanted to have his autograph!”
Yulia’s pale face flushed slightly as if she was thrilled just by imagining it.
Yuri tilted his head in confusion.
“Whose?”
“His!”
“Who?”
“The Indomitable Sword!”
Yulia looked around cautiously, then stood on tiptoe to whisper in Yuri’s ear.
“…Johan Redner.”
“Who? The Indomitable Sword? You mean *the* Johan Redner?”
“Yes! The Indomitable Sword, Johan Redner!”
She was calling him “The Indomitable Sword!”
Good lord, “Johan Redner!”
Yuri’s mind went blank, and he asked in a dazed tone.
“…Why? Why on earth would you want something like that?”
Yulia lowered her gaze and fidgeted with her fingers again.
“I’ve admired him… since I was a child.”
“……”
“So, for the fee, I’d like to have his autograph… Do you think it’s possible?”
“……”
Yuri remained silent for a while.
Misinterpreting his silence, Yulia cautiously spoke again.
“If the autograph is too difficult, how about a handwritten letter?”
“……”
“I’d really appreciate it if it had my name in it! Even if it takes years, please… please get it for me!”
As Yulia lowered her demand from “a handwritten letter with her name from Johan” as the fee, Yuri thought to himself.
‘The world’s gone mad… really mad.’
It seemed like the world of common sense he knew had come to an end.
Still, it wasn’t an opportunity to miss.
Yuri promised to get Yulia what she wanted, thereby completing his request with the Bluebird.
Several days passed after Yuri first connected with the Bluebird.
A message reached him.
But it wasn’t the news he was waiting for from the Bluebird.
“Yuri, everyone’s been called to gather!”
“What? What’s this all of a sudden? Gather for what?”
“They’re giving us the second combined quest!”
It was a summons from the Cradle.
* * *
Nearly two months had passed since the first combined quest of the 50th cohort conducted by the Cradle.
The 50th cohort was notified of the second combined quest.
The instructions were simple.
They were to gather at the location where the first combined quest took place by 9 a.m. on March 10.
Thus, all 170 members of the 50th cohort gathered at the entrance to the Forest of Beasts, where they had previously collected animal hides.
The cadets, scattered and talking in low voices, no longer displayed the disorganization of the past. Instead, a certain air of experience could be sensed among them.
After some time passed, at exactly 9 a.m., the Black Sword Corps appeared, led by the bespectacled man as usual.
“Form up.”
At the bespect
acled man’s order, the cadets, who had been scattered, lined up in rows.
As he scanned the formation with satisfaction, the bespectacled man began to speak.
“I will now announce the details of the second combined quest.”
The low tone of his voice carried the quest details clearly to the cadets.
“From this moment on, the area known as the Forest of Beasts will be renamed the Forest Combat Zone.”
A black-haired cadet muttered under his breath, “The place is big enough, so why are they recycling the same spot?” But the bespectacled man ignored him.
“The name of this quest is ‘Capture the Armband.’ You will now form squads and engage in combat.”
The bespectacled man’s subsequent explanation went as follows:
Each squad must consist of a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 10 members, and cadets should form these squads on their own.
A squad will be considered wiped out if all members are incapacitated or if the squad leader loses their armband.
The quest will continue until only one squad remains.
The reward is 3 million points per squad and a custom-made weapon voucher for each squad member.
Since this was the first combat quest between cadets, the eyes of the 50th cohort burned with determination.
Gazing at them, the bespectacled man spoke.
“You have 10 minutes to form your squads. After that, the squad leaders should come to me and collect armbands based on the number of members.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Yuri stepped forward.
Seeing him come forward in less than a second to get his armbands, the bespectacled man furrowed his brows.
“You’ve already formed a squad?”
“Of course.”
“How many members?”
“Three.”
Without hesitation, Yuri responded, and the bespectacled man handed him three white armbands.
Each armband had numbers 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3 stitched in black thread.
Yuri accepted the armbands and asked, “The -1 armband is for the squad leader, right?”
“Naturally.”
Upon hearing the confirmation, Yuri casually slipped the 1-1 armband onto his arm.
Then, he handed the remaining two armbands to Arin and Poppy.
“Here, these are yours.”
Arin, dumbfounded by Yuri’s audacity, asked, “Aren’t you going to ask for our opinions?”
“Do you object?”
“Hehe, no way.”
Smiling sweetly, as if she had never been upset, Arin took the 1-2 armband.
Then Poppy silently took the last armband, and Yuri showed them his own.
“I’ll be the squad leader. Any complaints?”
“None.”
“I’m hungry.”
And just like that, Yuri’s group became the first squad.
Watching this unfold, the 50th cohort erupted in a buzz.
They exchanged glances with one another, and among them were a few who had particularly keen eyes.
These individuals began to move swiftly and silently.
Ten minutes passed, and the squad formation time ended.
A total of 25 squads were formed.
Just before the quest began in earnest.
‘Huh?’
Yuri noticed a strange atmosphere around him.
‘What’s this?’
At first, he thought it was just his imagination.
But it wasn’t.
As soon as he realized this, a smirk twisted Yuri’s lips.
‘Hah? What are they up to?’
He could feel the glances being thrown at him, Arin, and Poppy.
The guarded looks and the atmosphere as if a wall had been built around them—Yuri quickly realized what they signified.
‘They’re openly excluding us?’
The other squads were exchanging strange looks with one another.
Although they were clearly interacting with one another, no squad approached Yuri’s group.
What was even more amusing…
‘They don’t even bother to hide their thoughts?’
He could clearly read the thoughts behind their hostile stares.
This was a quest where only one squad could win.
They knew who the biggest obstacle was in this game.
They knew who was closest to winning.
Despite being only a three-person squad, the three of them were the top three in the monthly evaluation.
They had each walked more than six steps during the Hundred Steps Ceremony.
Thus, they must have agreed to take out Yuri’s squad first and then settle the win among themselves later.
This was evident in their stares.
“Hah? They want to take us out first?”
Yuri’s smirk deepened.
When the quest started, the other 167 cadets would likely begin a hunting spree, targeting his squad.
‘They see us… as prey?’
And Yuri didn’t like the idea.
He found it ridiculous that they believed they could catch him if they joined forces.
So, he decided to show them.
Who the hunter was and who the prey really was.
Step, step.
Yuri began walking towards the entrance of the Forest Combat Zone.
Arin and Poppy looked at him with puzzled expressions as he suddenly acted on impulse.
Step, step.
Yuri stopped, positioning himself with his back to the entrance of the Forest Combat Zone.
“Ahem. Attention, everyone.”
Yuri’s small, yet mana-infused voice was enough to grab everyone’s attention.
All eyes turned to him.
Despite the hundreds of eyes now focused on him, Yuri didn’t flinch.
Instead, he smiled wryly.
“Did you know?”
A question out of nowhere made the heads of the 50th cohort tilt in confusion.
“Even if 167 bugs swarm together, they’re still just bugs…”
Soon, they realized that the 167 bugs Yuri mentioned were themselves, and the question marks above their heads turned into exclamation points.
“And those bugs are nothing but things you can stomp to death, like this.”
Thud- Crack, crackle-!
Yuri stomped the ground as if crushing a bug, and even the exclamation points above their heads disappeared.
A silence fell over them.
“So…”
Yuri seemed to savor the stillness as he spoke with a deep smile.
But that smile soon vanished without a trace.
In its place was a cold gaze as he swept his eyes over the crowd and spoke.
“Come at me if you dare. I’ll crush every last one of you.”
At Yuri’s declaration of war, not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
The atmosphere was enveloped in an intense silence.
Then, one by one, murderous intents began to rise.
Hissss-.
In an instant, the gathering bloodlust turned into a massive wave and engulfed the surroundings.
Wooooo-.
The overwhelming killing intent of 167 cadets bore down on Yuri.
Seeing the resolute determination in their eyes, Yuri smiled with satisfaction, as if admiring his own work.
Meanwhile, Arin and Poppy, who had just witnessed their comrade’s large-scale provocation, were left speechless.
“…This crazy bastard?!”
“I-I’m hungry?!”
Realizing that they were now stuck with a man who had to be killed at all costs, the faces of the two had turned pale.