LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 220
Chapter 220: Changing the Dragon Plaque 2 (5)
It was just past midnight on December 31st.
Whooosh—.
The faces of the 50th batch, gathered in the biting dawn wind, were as bright as spring.
Gathered in small groups, they spoke with voices full of emotion.
“One year has passed already…”
“Yeah, it feels like we just started yesterday, but it’s already been a year…”
The memories of their first chaotic days in the Cradle were still vivid.
Many of their comrades couldn’t endure and were expelled, leaving only fifty out of over a hundred.
The fact that they had survived the hellish year brought joy to the 50th batch.
Of course, they had only made it through the first year and still had four more to endure.
Even so, the reason they could celebrate this moment was the reward that came with surviving the first year.
That reward was the arrival of their “juniors.”
“Heh, the 51st batch, huh?”
“Finally, we’re no longer the youngest!”
Why had they gathered here?
It was to participate in the Dragon Plaque Exchange.
‘We get to pay them back for everything we went through, right?’
‘Those bastards… They’re dead meat!’
It was a chance to exchange their Dragon Plaques for free.
A small but fairly profitable opportunity to earn points.
But the highlight of the Dragon Plaque Exchange was, of course, the chance to torment the clueless 51st batch cadets.
Just like they had been tormented the year before.
‘When is this going to start?’
‘We started on the 30th last year… Why are they taking so long?’
The 50th batch, eager to begin the Dragon Plaque Exchange, were impatient.
However, not everyone shared their enthusiasm.
“I’m hungry.”
“Yawn. I mean, why did they have to call everyone? Only those who want to participate should gather.”
Poppy, rubbing his sleepy eyes, and Arin, yawning repeatedly.
Gunther looked at them with a mix of exasperation and pity.
As he loosened up, he asked them, “Are you really not going to participate in the Dragon Plaque Exchange?”
Arin shook her head resolutely.
“Nope, not doing it. Absolutely not.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Why go through all that trouble?”
“I’m hungry!”
Arin was firm in her refusal, and Poppy nodded vigorously in agreement.
They were among those who had declared they wouldn’t participate in this year’s Dragon Plaque Exchange.
They had no reason to join in the first place.
They rarely took part in the Cradle’s events and were the holders of the highest plaques, the White Dragon Plaques, just below the Black Dragon Plaques.
They also weren’t so poor as to covet the pocket change points of the 51st batch.
Arin and Poppy had long decided not to bother with the grueling trek to the distant Forest of Beginnings in this cold weather.
To them, it made no sense that Gunther was participating.
“Why are you even doing it? You’re a White Dragon Plaque holder, and it’s not like you’re short on points.”
Gunther, while checking his equipment, replied, “I’m looking to regain my original intent.”
“Original intent?”
“With the new year approaching, I want to reflect on myself from a year ago and take some time to reconsider my past actions.”
Poppy and Arin were about to brush off his words when a rough voice suddenly cut in.
“Talking about finding your original intent, huh?”
Yuri appeared with his swaggering walk, pointing accusingly at Gunther.
“I heard something about this guy; he’s a real piece of work.”
Gunther’s face twisted in displeasure, and Arin and Poppy wore expressions that clearly said, ‘Who’s calling who a piece of work?’
Ignoring their reactions, Yuri continued.
“Where’s the guy who said he’d crush every one of the 51st batch? You said you’d smash anyone who crossed your path, didn’t you?”
“I never said it like that. I just said I’d give my all to whoever I meet.”
“Same difference. How is that finding your original intent?”
“The sight of those who thought highly of themselves hitting an insurmountable wall and being devastated is enough to help me regain my original intent. I plan to use their despair as nourishment to curb my own complacency.”
“…You’re a real freak.”
Even Arin and Poppy couldn’t help but agree with Yuri’s final comment.
Gunther, meanwhile, looked unimpressed and asked, “Then why are you participating in the Dragon Plaque Exchange?”
The atmosphere went silent immediately after that question.
Gunther’s question was one everyone in the 50th batch wanted to ask.
Yuri was one of only two holders of the Black Dragon Plaques in the Cradle.
The undisputed strongest.
The points Yuri earned from quests over the past year were uncountable.
It was expected that even the combined points of the entire 50th batch wouldn’t surpass Yuri’s.
Therefore, there was no reason for Yuri to participate in the Dragon Plaque Exchange or the minor point-earning quests.
‘Why on earth is he so keen on going?!’
‘He’s probably just going to mess with the 51st batch!’
‘He should just take a break!’
‘Damn it!’
Truthfully, everyone in the 50th batch wished Yuri wouldn’t participate in the Dragon Plaque Exchange.
If Yuri went all out, their chances of earning anything would drastically decrease.
What was mere pocket change to Yuri still held significant value for the other members of the 50th batch.
As everyone focused on Yuri, waiting for his response, he finally said,
“I’m also looking to regain my original intent.”
“…Your original intent? You?”
“The fuller your pockets, the easier it is to forget the value of money. So I thought I’d relive some old memories and remind myself how hard it is to earn points…”
As Yuri continued, the expressions of those around him darkened.
Basically, he intended to strip the 51st batch of all their meager points.
This meant there was a high chance the others in the 50th batch wouldn’t get much of a chance.
Just as gloom settled among the 50th batch, Yuri added,
“…Just kidding. Don’t worry, I only need one target.”
“One target?”
Someone asked, puzzled, and Yuri pointed at Poppy.
“Someone who looks just like that…”
“…?”
Poppy, eyes wide and blinking.
“…But with hair.”
Poppy’s brows furrowed in annoyance.
Yuri, however, remained unfazed, amplifying his voice with mana to address the entire 50th batch.
“I only need that guy, so I won’t bother anyone else. Do as you wish with the others.”
“…Really?”
Skeptical, someone questioned him, but Yuri instead issued a warning.
“But, whoever touches that guy will have to have a one-on-one meeting with me later. As for the meeting’s content… I’ll let your imagination decide.”
The chilling warning made the 50th batch swallow hard.
They made sure to commit Yuri’s warning to memory.
“As long as we avoid the hairy Poppy, right?”
“Hairy Poppy. Hairy Poppy.”
“Just steer clear of the hairy Poppy. Steer clear of the hairy Poppy.”
The more the phrase “hairy Poppy” was repeated, the more Poppy’s face twisted.
Meanwhile, Arin sidled up to Yuri and asked,
“So who exactly is this hairy Poppy?”
“Oh, that guy?”
Recalling a recent conversation with Johan, Yuri replied,
[“Now that you mention it, Mucci is entering the Cradle. He’s probably taking his test in the Forest of Beginnings as we speak.”]
With a sly smile, Yuri said,
“Yeah, there’s a snot-nosed kid.”
* * *
Huff, huff—
Short breaths turned white as they met the frigid air.
Ssss—.
Beyond the puffs of breath, a pair of large eyes.
Green irises, filled with wariness, scanned the surroundings.
Clench—
Thick fingers gripped a massive axe-spear tightly.
Sweat-drenched brown hair.
Thin black clothes, torn in several places.
Muscles bulging as though they would burst, radiating intense heat.
The enormous frame that belied his boyish age belonged to a 14-year-old boy.
Even as he kept watch, his face tense, from above his head—
Rustle—
“…?!”
Multiple black figures descended.
* * *
The approaching shadow of the island.
The unforgettable sight filled the 50th batch with nostalgia.
“We’re finally back here.”
“The Forest of Beginnings… or should I say, the Bug Compost.”
A short walk inland would reveal the walls.
Within those walls, amidst the sprawling coniferous forest, countless cadets were still fighting tooth and nail for survival.
It was at that moment that the 50th batch realized something.
‘…Come to think of it, we were lucky, weren’t we?’
‘Thanks to Yuri’s trading in there, as many as 300 of us survived, didn’t we?’
But there was no guarantee that the 51st batch would have someone like Yuri among them.
In fact, having someone like that would be a disaster, so they were surely absent.
Thus, the 51st batch was most likely enduring a survival test in far harsher conditions.
‘So even that madman Yuri can be useful, huh?’
‘That’s a new realization.’
While the 50th batch marveled at how Yuri’s insane actions had ultimately benefited them,
Creeeak— Thud—!
The Black Ship docked.
The 50th batch, lost in memories, immediately transformed their expressions.
Whooosh—.
Without exchanging any words
, the 50th batch, all emanating an icy killing intent, disembarked from the ship in perfect unison.
Clack— Clack—.
The once-clumsy 300 cadets who had left this very dock had returned after a year, now as formidable cadets of the Cradle.
And waiting to greet them was, of course, the one-eyed Duran, who managed the Forest of Beginnings.
“I trust you all know why you were summoned here, so…”
He flashed a cruel smile at the 50th batch, who radiated lethal intent.
“Make those bugs in there pay back tenfold for what you endured a year ago!”
In response to his shout, the 50th batch’s killing intent surged even more.
Whooosh—.
Like a snowstorm, the killing intent of the 50th batch swirled fiercely.
Duran commanded,
“50th batch… Go and cause havoc.”
No sooner had the brief order fallen than the hundred or so cadets sprinted towards the Forest of Beginnings.
However, not all ran ahead; someone remained behind, yelling after them.
“Hey, you idiots, remember my words! If anything happens to that kid, you’ll be in deep trouble too!”
The 50th batch didn’t need to turn around to know whose lazy voice that was.
‘Ugh, the mood was perfect, and he’s ruining it!’
‘Got it! How many times do you have to say it?! It’s getting annoying!’
‘We won’t mess with the hairy Poppy, damn it!’
With no one daring to retort to Yuri, the 50th batch grumbled internally as they ran off.
Watching them, Yuri smirked and rolled his shoulders.
“Well then… I guess it’s time for me to move too.”
From the moment they first sparred, Yuri had known Mucci was already strong enough to handle the first-year cadets of the Cradle.
Yuri was confident that Mucci hadn’t failed the test.
Step—
Just as he was about to step forward towards the Forest of Beginnings—
“You wait, Yuri Holland.”
Duran appeared out of nowhere, blocking his path.
And he wasn’t alone.
Rustle—
In an instant, Duran and over a dozen members of the Black Sword Corps surrounded Yuri.
Surprised by the sudden situation, Yuri reached for his sword, his expression hardening.
“…What is this? What’s going on?”
Surrounded by Black Sword Corps members, an unusual scene for any cadet, Yuri gathered his strength, ready to react at any moment.
At that moment, Duran took a step forward and asked in a low voice,
“I’ll ask you this. Did you infiltrate my office and tamper with the Cradle’s documents?”
Duran’s lone eye stared piercingly at Yuri.
And meeting that gaze, Yuri thought,
‘…Wait, how did they find out about that?’
…It was supposed to be a perfect crime!
Sweat poured down his back.