Chapter 266: Pass the Bomb (1)
Dozens of curious gazes clung to Yuri, unable to tear themselves away.
Yuri’s bright, focused eyes, as if he had achieved some great enlightenment, made the crowd’s pupils quiver in response.
‘What’s with that freak’s eyes? They look weird!’
‘Wh-Why does he look so terrifying?!’
Those in the 50th batch, who had experienced many incidents whenever Yuri’s eyes widened like that, couldn’t help but feel alarmed.
It was no wonder Clarice, who had been praised by Yuri, had turned pale.
“I… I’m sorry…”
“What exactly are you sorry for?”
“…For shouting?”
“Eh, it’s no big deal.”
“I’m just wrong about everything!”
As Yuri tried to brush it off as nothing, Clarice frantically waved his hands, panicking even more.
Yuri patted him on the shoulder and shook his head gently from side to side.
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, you did very well.”
“What…? What on earth did I do well?!”
“You gave me a great revelation.”
Yuri smiled contentedly and patted Clarice’s shoulder again.
Clarice’s face turned as pale as a corpse, but Yuri didn’t notice, lost in his thoughts.
‘Yeah, that idiot is right.’
It had been a year since he’d been sparring with the 50th batch.
By now, he could predict their movements just by looking at their eyes.
Despite that, why had he only been tormenting… no, sparring with the 50th batch all this time?
Why had he trapped himself in the idea that he should only spar with the 50th batch?
‘Why didn’t I think of this sooner?’
If he was tired of the 50th batch, he could just find new opponents!
Why hadn’t he realized this simple solution sooner?
Moreover, new opponents were all around him in the Cradle.
‘The seniors.’
They were different from the 51st batch, which hadn’t fully matured, and the 50th batch, which he had squeezed dry.
These were the fruits that had grown for longer in the Cradle, absorbing its nutrients.
They were ripe fruits, nearly at their peak, scattered everywhere.
‘I’ve sucked all the martial arts out of the 50th batch, but I haven’t really tasted the seniors’ martial arts yet.’
In fact, the higher-ranked seniors were likely to have mastered even more advanced martial arts.
This Cradle naturally filtered out the rotten fruits, leaving only the worthwhile ones behind.
Just thinking about it made Yuri’s mouth water.
*Sluurp.*
As Yuri licked his lips, his eyes glinting, Clarice looked as though he was about to faint.
But then a voice came, reviving Clarice in an instant.
“You’re free for a while.”
“Huh?”
“You’re free.”
“…Why?”
“You told me, didn’t you? Why do I only torment you guys?”
“Oh… right… I did.”
“So now I’m going to play with someone else.”
“…?”
“I’m off! See you later!”
“…Oh? Uh, yeah, sure.”
Yuri gave Clarice’s shoulder one last pat, waved big, and walked off.
Clarice stood there, dumbfounded, staring at Yuri’s departing figure.
Only after Yuri had completely disappeared did the rest of the 50th batch slowly gather around Clarice.
“Is he… gone?”
“He’s really… gone?”
“…I think he’s really gone.”
Everyone wore confused expressions, still not fully grasping the situation.
Arin tilted her head and spoke.
“If I didn’t mishear, didn’t Yuri say he’s going to play with someone else?”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, that’s what I heard too.”
“…He definitely said that.”
People began to murmur, trying to make sense of Yuri’s words.
Finally, Nellie came to a conclusion.
“So… we’re really… free?”
“……”
A heavy silence fell over them once again.
But this time, the silence didn’t last long.
A thunderous roar erupted soon after.
“Woohooo!”
“We’re freeeeeee!”
The 50th batch, who had been sprawled out like corpses on the ground, suddenly rose like zombies, throwing their hands in the air and cheering.
Then they rushed toward Clarice.
“Clarice… you crazy bastard!”
“Clariceeeee!”
“Clarice! Clarice!”
They hoisted Clarice into the air, chanting his name loudly.
In response to their booming voices, Clarice also raised both hands and shouted.
“I did itttttt!”
To be honest, Clarice, like the others in the 50th batch, didn’t fully understand the meaning of what Yuri had said.
But that wasn’t what mattered to them.
There was only one thing that mattered.
And that crucial detail was in Clarice’s next cry.
“As long as it’s not usssssss!”
It didn’t matter who Yuri played with or tormented, as long as it wasn’t them.
“As long as it’s not us!”
“As long as it’s not ussss!”
The 50th batch, who had been tormented for over a year, screamed in joy, overwhelmed by their newfound freedom.
And so, the bomb Clarice had thrown rolled away, heading southward.
Its final destination…
“That’s where our kids are, isn’t it?”
Toward the west side of the arena, the 3rd-year living quarters.
Cheers from the 50th batch echoed as Teresia, the first among the 49th batch to sense the impending disaster, could do nothing but watch Yuri’s disappearing figure with pity in her eyes.
* * *
Dozens of worn-out tents clustered together.
Clothes were strung between the tents on makeshift lines.
To an outsider, it might have looked like a refugee camp or a place where beggars lived.
This was the 3rd-year living quarters.
The place they had finally acquired after reaching their 3rd year was far less than what they had expected.
But for the 49th batch, who had spent two years living mostly without roofs, this was the coziest shelter they could imagine.
Still, gathering everyone who had been scattered for two years into one place inevitably led to noise.
“Hey, Jerry! It’s you, isn’t it?!”
A short-haired boy, his face filled with rage, stood in front of a tent, shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Get out here before I come in and drag you out!”
The voice, dripping with anger, caused the tent to slowly open, revealing a disheveled Jerry.
“Yawn, what is it?”
Yawning and scratching himself inside his pants, Jerry looked sleepily at the boy who had called him out.
The short-haired boy’s face twisted in anger again.
“It’s you, isn’t it?”
“What did I do?”
“You’re the one who stole my underwear!”
“Oh, for God’s sake. It wasn’t me.”
“I’m pretty sure it was you.”
“What are you talking about? Why would I steal your underwear?”
“You did it last time too.”
“Oh, for the last time, that was just a mistake! I grabbed the wrong ones thinking they were mine!”
“…How far away do your clothes have to be for you to ‘accidentally’ take them?”
The boy pointed at the spot, far from Jerry’s tent, where his clothes had been hung to dry.
It was practically on the other side of the camp from Jerry’s tent.
Jerry raised his chin proudly.
“I have a terrible sense of direction!”
“……”
“That happens sometimes, alright!”
Seeing Jerry’s brazen attitude, the boy frowned deeply.
Then, after a moment, he smoothed his face and grinned.
“…Take it off.”
“What?”
“Your pants.”
“…What kind of crazy talk is that? Why would I?”
“I knew this would happen, so I marked the inside of my underwear with my name, in a way only I’d recognize. So… take off your pants.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
Jerry took a step back, clearly rattled.
The boy, noticing Jerry’s panic, not just at having to take off his pants, smirked and stepped forward.
Then, he grabbed at Jerry’s waistband.
“Hey!”
Jerry, horrified, grabbed his pants and the boy’s hand, resisting as best he could.
“Take them off!”
“Damn it, let go!”
“Just take them off! I’ll just check!”
“Would you take yours off if you were me, you crazy bastard?!”
As the two struggled over Jerry’s pants, a voice suddenly broke in.
“Eugh?!”
Both Jerry and the short-haired boy stopped in their tracks and turned toward the sound.
And there stood Yuri, who had appeared at some point.
“……”
“……”
“……”
The three stared at each other in silence for a while.
Then, Yuri scratched his head awkwardly and bowed slightly.
“Sorry for interrupting. I respect your preferences, so carry on.”
With a slight shiver, Yuri turned away, muttering about respecting their “preferences,” which caused both Jerry and the boy to shout in unison.
“It’s not like that, you crazy bastard!”
“It’s not like that, you crazy bastard!”
Their identical shouts echoed so loudly that other members of the 49th batch, who had stayed out of sight, began to emerge one by one.
“What’s going on? What’s all that noise?”
“Who’s the crazy bastard screaming?”
Curious eyes turned toward Yuri.
Then, a few of them noticed Yuri’s red epaulet and scowled.
“What the hell? A 50th batch kid?”
“A 50th batch brat came into the seniors’ area like it’s no big deal?”
“Which idiot is dumb enough to
…?”
The moment those who were cursing saw Yuri’s face, they froze and yelled in panic.
“It’s the crazy bastard!”
“N-No, why is that lunatic here?!”
Other than the 50th batch, the 49th batch had suffered the most at Yuri’s hands.
Seeing their intense reaction, Yuri grinned.
“Well, I guess the welcoming committee’s a bit rowdy, huh?”
As Yuri’s smirk deepened, the 49th batch members instinctively began to back away.
But there was one who stepped forward with a puzzled expression.
“What brings you here?”
It was Yulia, her head tilted in curiosity.
“You’re here to see me? The information you wanted isn’t ready yet.”
Yulia assumed the only reason Yuri would come to the 3rd-year quarters was to gather information from her.
But Yuri casually waved his hand.
“No, that’s not why I’m here. Today, I have a different goal.”
“What goal?”
*Shiiiing.*
Without a word, Yuri slowly drew his sword.
Then he pointed the blade toward the 49th batch and declared.
“Let’s fight.”
“…With whom?”
“With you guys.”
“With us?”
“Yeah.”
“But… we’re your seniors…”
“Yes, and this lowly junior wants to have a fight with his 49th batch seniors. Won’t you accept my challenge?”
As soon as Yuri finished speaking, a heavy silence settled over the group.
They already knew he was crazy, but this was beyond anything they could have imagined.
Caught in a whirlwind of confusion, one person suddenly darted forward and stood beside Yuri.
Jerry, grinning and bowing repeatedly, spoke.
“Oh, come on! What are you saying, Your Highness?! We can’t handle it, so please spare us!”
“I don’t want to.”
In a hushed tone, Jerry leaned in and whispered, “Hey, what’s up with you today?”
“……?”
“Come on, I don’t know what’s got you worked up, but just cut me some slack.”
Jerry patted Yuri’s shoulder, urging him to back down for now. Yuri smirked faintly.
“Ah, Jerry, you’ve been through a lot.”
“What do you mean, a lot? I live to serve, Your Highness!”
Yuri then leaned in and whispered in a flat tone, “Do you know who loses their head first? It’s the lackey who can’t tell when to step up and when to shut up.”
“Hiiii!”
Startled by the sudden threat, Jerry clutched his neck and quickly scurried behind Yulia.
Meanwhile, Yuri raised his sword once more.
“Enough chit-chat. Let’s have a fight already.”
The 49th batch collectively shook their heads.
“N-No thanks.”
“We decline.”
“What’s the deal? Did we do something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing like that.”
“Then why?”
“Because I feel like it. So let’s fight!”
“……”
“Why no answer? You scared?”
Yuri stood there, hands in his pockets, casually flicking his sword. The 49th batch members frowned in unison.
His last comment had struck a nerve.
And Yuri sealed the deal with one final taunt.
“Scared of a junior? Pfft!”
Unable to contain their anger any longer, about twenty people drew their weapons in outrage.
“That bastard!”
“Screw it, let’s beat him up!”
“I’ve hated that jerk from the start! Let’s go!”
“Everyone, charge!”
As the enraged members of the 49th batch charged forward, Yuri smiled brightly and welcomed them.
“Yes! Now this is how the Cradle should be!”
Yuri gleefully swung his sword.
Exactly 30 seconds later.
*Boom!*
“Ugh!”
“Oof!”
With a loud explosion, six or so people flew back faster than they had charged, tumbling across the ground.
It was obvious they had all been knocked out.
And then…
“Aaaah!”
“Wait, stop!”
“R-Run!”
“Retreat! Retreat!”
The ones who had charged bravely were now racing back the way they had come, fleeing in terror.
Chasing close behind them, eyes blazing, was Yuri.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Aaaah!
Wails and screams soon filled the 3rd-year living quarters.