I Have a Fiancee in a Parallel World

29 – There are two teammates…

The quarterly evaluation at the academy will be conducted over a period of 2 weeks.

The first test, the Virtual Gate Expedition, lasts for five days, followed by the second test, the Team Duel, which also spans five days the next week.

Students from grades 4 to 6 typically formed teams of five, while students from grades 7 to 11 usually formed teams of eight on average.

A total of 64 teams were created, ensuring that there were no byes, and everyone could participate in the second test, the Team Duel tournament.

Although it wasn’t strictly regulated, class-based team composition naturally led to these team sizes.

There were generally only one or two differences, and team compositions didn’t deviate significantly from the average.

However, this quarter’s evaluation had one exception.

***

The only two-member team, Jihoon and Sooyoung, had managed to break away from guild officials and were choosing their dishes in a small sushi restaurant.

“That’s all part of a systematic curriculum. The early awakeners were all focused on Gates in the beginning, but the world has changed drastically, hasn’t it? Have you heard of Black Hunters? In modern times, experts believe that Black Hunters, who gain great power with skewed morals from the mana obtained in Gates, pose a bigger threat than Gate Expeditions. Hunter-to-Hunter battles are just as critical as Gate Expeditions in the evaluation.”

“…And this is… who?”

“Her name is Hansojung, my friend from the 2nd class I mentioned before. She appears whenever I’m about to eat.”

In response to Sooyoung’s cautious question, Jihoon introduced Sojung, who had suddenly appeared in the sushi restaurant, and continued with a lengthy explanation of Sooyoung’s muttered complaint about why they were doing the Team Duel.

“The second test is a tournament-style duel, but what’s more important than victory or defeat is how dedicated you are to your position as a team member.”

“Is there something more important than victory or defeat… But how do you, a 2nd class, know so much about it?”

Sojung replied to Jihoon’s question.

“Grades 1-3 are also evaluated using the same test as you. The level gap is so significant that we can’t be evaluated together, so we take the test separately.”

“Oh? Your class seems to be of a much higher level?”

“Well, of course! Even in the 2nd class, everyone is a B-ranked Hunter. I’ve heard there are even seven A-ranked Hunters in the 1st class. How amazing A-ranked Hunters are… Ah, no…”

As Sojung spoke, she suddenly remembered the past and swallowed her words. Jihoon had defeated two A-ranked Hunters while she was lying injured at the Ares Guild. These were not just A-ranked Hunters but veteran A-ranked Hunters who had gained extensive practical experience through long-term service in a major guild.

“What about this one?”

“You ask quickly. It’s Hansooyoung, the teammate I’m paired with in this quarter’s evaluation. We just finished the first test a while ago.”

“The Virtual Gate test? You got caught on the first day? Ah, if you got caught on the 5th day, you could observe other teams and calmly adjust your strategy… But where are the other team members, and why are only the two of you eating?”

“We’re the only two.”

“…Huh?”

“Our team. Just the two of us.”

Sojung’s eyes widened, then blinked repeatedly, as she grasped the situation and looked at the menu with a knowing expression.

“I think I should eat at Special A. But how long did it take to clear the Virtual Gate? It doesn’t seem like we failed to clear it… Still, it took quite a bit of time because there were two of us.”

“Maybe about 10 minutes? Even though Special A can’t even compare… No, anyway, I can just eat it.”

“What?!”

Sojeong raised her voice, trying to remain calm.

“…? Even if you can’t finish it all, I’ll help you.”

“No, that’s not it… How long did it take to clear?”

“Oh, that? 10 minutes.”

“It was 8 minutes and 51 seconds…”

Swimming, who had been observing from the front, carefully corrected Ju Hoon’s words.

Sojeong’s eyes grew even wider to the point where they might pop out.

“H-How? Is this also some kind of class that hides its strength like you, an 11-class or something?”

Looking intently at Soyeong, Sojeong asked Ju Hoon.

“Swimming is a healer. And I’ve never hidden my strength before, have I?”

With his eyes closed, Sujeong alternately looked at Ju Hoon and Swimming.

“If it’s in the 8-minute range… that’s like the shortest record since the establishment of the academy…”

“Really? That’s great. After the quarterly evaluation, they’ll probably raise our class, right? How much did they say our support fund is per month?”

“8 million won… But that’s not important… If it’s at this level, why are you in the academy… Oh, no.”

Sojeong stared at Ju Hoon for a moment, then shook off the headache and decided to wait for sushi.

After the quarterly evaluation, Ju Hoon would probably be promoted to class 1 all at once.

Whether it was a problem with the academy regulations or an evaluation error, Sojeong suddenly thought that she hoped Ju Hoon would be placed in class 2 instead of class 1.

***

After finishing the first exam, the 4th class team led by Choi Seung Joon immediately left the simulation field and went to the training ground without looking back.

Having cleared the Virtual Gate in 24 minutes and confident in ranking 1st in the first exam, they silently found the training ground at Choi Seung Joon’s words to start training for the second exam.

Yoo In Hak, Jung Hyeong Tae, Choi Ji Won, Kim Seo Young, Kim Ha Yeon.

The top students of the 4th class gathered by Choi Seung Joon.

The 4th class of the academy was a high class that received countless business cards from guilds alone.

Being evaluated as capable even if deployed in actual combat, as long as they were above 6th class C-level hunters, it goes without saying how much attention the hunters in the 4th class received.

However, such facts were not at all comforting to Choi Seung Joon.

The top-level 1st to 3rd classes.

Choi Seung Joon only looked at 3rd class or higher.

His strong obsession with class promotion was because of his older brother.

His brother, Choi Seung-min, graduated from the academy as a rank 3 and joined the prestigious Hyunseong Guild.

Seung-jun had spent his whole life being compared to his brother.

No matter how talented he was, no matter how hard he tried, he never received proper recognition because his brother was always one step ahead.

Shrouded under his brother’s shadow, he could never see the light, and unfortunately, he was placed in class 4 even in the academy.

“Seung-jun is in class 4 at the academy? Impressive. But didn’t his brother graduate as a rank 3?”

“That’s right. They say there’s no brother better than him, that his brother always comes first?”

“His brother clears the way and helps a lot. Even if not as much as his brother, Seung-jun will do well. Having a good brother…”

The ignorant gaze of the world.

For Seung-jun, it was a dreadful everyday life.

He had never once wanted his brother’s help.

To him, his brother was simply a wall that he had to overcome.

“Swoosh… Swoosh…”

As Seung-jun swung his sword, a wave of magical power surged above his shoulder.

That was the moment.

“Seung-jun! Seung-jun, something big happened.”

The person rushing into the training ground and shouting was Min-hyeok, whom Seung-jun had asked to check the test results of another team.

“Why are you causing a disturbance during training? I said we would check the other team’s results after training.”

With Seung-jun’s intense gaze and irritated voice, Min-hyeok lowered his head in fear and spoke.

“T-th… there… I think we need to know this right away.”

“What… What is it?”

Seung-jun, overly sensitive during the test period, barely suppressed his rising frustration and asked Min-hyeok.

“After your team… the team right after yours cleared the virtual gate faster than you did.”

“What? They were faster than 24 minutes? Who are those guys… Yoon Dong-han’s team, right? It has to be him.”

Yoon Dong-han.

Among the top students of class 4, forming a rival relationship with Seung-jun, he was the guy who even stole the team member that Seung-jun wanted, Seol Yoo-jeong.

“I’ve known it since they took Seol Yoo-jeong away. This guy is hindering my progress. How many minutes?”

“In the 8-minute range…”

“What? Are you kidding me? Do I look like I’m free? Do you want to die?”

There was a very valid reason why Seung-jun couldn’t believe Min-hyeok’s words.

In the history of the academy’s founding, no team had ever cleared the virtual gate in the 8th minute.

Their record of clearing it in 24 minutes was also an achievement that only teams in classes 1 to 3 could achieve at such a high level.

Naturally, he believed that they would pass the first exam in first place… Clearing it in the 8th minute was an unbelievable claim.

“It’s not Yoon Donghan’s team… It’s a team called Kang Jihun.”

Minhyuk continued speaking without meeting Seungjoon’s eyes.

“What? Kang Jihun? What is this nonsense… Who is that?”

“He’s called Kang Jihun… He’s in the same class 11 as me, but there’s a guy who’s been acting strange lately? But he-“

“What? Class 11? Is this guy kidding?”

Seungjoon’s magic exploded from his body, and the air in the training field became unbearably heavy.

“Huff… gasp”

Minhyuk struggled to breathe in the heavy air as Seungjoon’s teammates approached to restrain him. Eventually, Seungjoon released his magic and confronted Minhyuk again.

“What else do you have to say? So, this guy Kang Jihun from class 11 cleared the virtual gate in the 8th minute. What else? Do you have anything else to say?”

“Kang Jihun and Han Sooyoung… It’s a team of two members. Han Sooyoung is a healer-“

“Ha…”

What is this guy saying?

Seungjoon and his teammates couldn’t believe a single sentence from Minhyuk’s words.

A two-member team from class 11 cleared the virtual gate in the 8th minute?

If they were normal people, it would be right not to believe such a ridiculous statement.

However, if Minhyuk was brave enough to make a joke and lie to them, then that wasn’t the case.

“Do you know where they are right now?”

Seungjoon vowed to personally verify if Minhyuk’s words were true and once again confronted him.