Rank 0 of the Awakener Special School - Chapter 10

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Awakener Special School Ranking: 0th
Episode 10
Now that I think about it, had I fallen?
Below the school uniform skirt, a large bandage clung to a knee visible in glimpses.
She flinched, her shoulders trembling noticeably at Ji-u’s appearance.
Ji-u sat down beside her without pretense.
“Mind if I sit? This is the only empty spot.”
“O-oh.”
Though it was the adjacent seat, their shoulders weren’t so close as to actually touch.
Yet she clung to the window as though trying to distance herself.
The bus departed amid an awkward silence.
As they drew closer to their destination, the surrounding landscape began to feel strangely familiar.
‘Ah, this is where I ended up when I took a wrong turn on the first day of school.’
Narack.
In other words, the place where I’d encountered that zombie-like Infected Being.
Were we really entering Narack? Just like that day in Ji-hyo’s footage.
‘If that’s the case…….’
It was in that moment, when I quietly clenched my fist without anyone noticing.
“Everyone, pay attention. Today’s practical assignment is what you’ve all expected, right? Cleaning.”
…Cleaning?
“Ugh, I don’t want to clean…….”
Someone voiced their complaint, and the teacher spun around sharply.
“What, you’ve got a problem? Then go ahead and take an F.”
“Teacher, isn’t that a bit unfair?”
“Zip it and listen. The rules are simple. See these beads? As you all know, these are Magic Stones. Find as many Magic Stones scattered around Narack as you can, and return here before class ends at 6 p.m. Got it? Anyone who doesn’t understand?”
A bead about three centimeters in diameter glimmered on the teacher’s palm.
So that’s a Magic Stone.
I’d only seen pictures before—this was my first time seeing one in person.
Narack spewed not only Infected Beings but also various viruses and toxic substances.
Living creatures exposed for extended periods to the special miasma that Narack emits undergo Petrification, or so it was said.
Animals, plants, insects, even people.
Once completely hardened by the miasma, the petrified creature slowly crumbles and eventually transforms into a gleaming bead.
That is the Magic Stone.
‘If Magic Stones are left unattended, harmful substances seep from them too. Is that why they’re having students collect them?’
With that thought in mind, I focused on the rest of the explanation.
“Use the Core you possess however you see fit and gather as many Magic Stones as you can—that’s all. Everyone heard the alarm a while back, didn’t they? Today, entry into the interior of Narack is forbidden. If anyone’s confident they can wipe out the Infected Beings, do what you want.”
Gaon was known to regularly purify the interior of Narack.
But that wasn’t a current student’s responsibility. Outside of class, no student could enter and exit Narack without authorization. That was the rule.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Ji-u recalled something Ji-hyo had said to him before.
– Some students have permission to enter the deeper levels.
– Even you, Ji-hyo?
– No way. I’m not at that level…… Really, there are only a handful of current students like that.
An elite class recognized by the director. Those students were granted access to Narack beyond the Purification Zone, it was said.
What were they called again?
…Special unit? Search team? Something like that, I think.
“Three people per team. Teams will be drawn by lot. Questions?”
“…….”
“Good. No questions? Then gather up. Don’t just stand there gawking—come quick and draw.”
The students shuffled toward the lottery box.
Soon it was Ji-u’s turn.
‘I might end up on the same team as Gu Min-jae or Kim Yeon-hee.’
Part of me thought it wouldn’t be bad to be on the same team; part of me wanted to avoid them here if possible.
Ji-u drew his lot with an ambiguous heart.
“……Ah.”
The team was formed.
One of his teammates was the reserved girl who’d sat beside him on the bus.
And the other one was—
“…….”
I locked eyes directly with a pair of sunken silver-gray irises.
Moon Yu-jin. My deskmate.
I think we were on the same team in gym class yesterday too…….
“Ah, darn. I wanted to be on the same team as Yu-jin.”
An wistful voice came from somewhere.
Moon Yu-jin, for her part, showed no interest and didn’t even glance in that direction.
Apart from that, the children on the same teams began to gather in small groups and move out.
“Hey, let’s head out right away.”
“Why the rush? We’ve got until 6 anyway. Still got plenty of time—want to go grab a late breakfast before we head down?”
“Yeah, sure. I’m starving.”
As the huddle of students dispersed one by one from the starting point,
Ji-u’s team stood motionless, staring into empty space.
Eventually, everyone else had disappeared, leaving only the three of them.
“…Shall we go.”
It was Moon Yu-jin who broke the silence first.
With Moon Yu-jin leading the way ahead, the other two followed slowly behind.
Ji-u glanced at the left chest of the girl as if surveying the surroundings.
‘Lim Li-sa.’ That was her name.
Did she prefer black?
Black socks, black sneakers. Like yesterday, every item today was coated in black.
Long bangs hung down as if to hide her face. Between them, dark, sunken black eyes were visible.
Sensing my gaze, Lim Li-sa flinched and stepped back.
“Oh, sorry.”
It happened before I could even comprehend what the apology was for.
It was as if I’d deliberately signaled her not to walk alongside me.
I wanted to say that wasn’t what I meant, but it didn’t seem like a good way to handle it either, so I eventually turned my head away.
Instead, I opened my mouth in what I thought was the brightest tone I could manage.
“Let’s do our best today.”
“Okay, I’ll try not to get in your way.”
No, that’s not what I meant at all…….
Well, forget it. Explaining point by point would just make things awkward anyway.
The three of us then entered the mountain, each maintaining a slight distance from the others.
There was no conversation.
“Let’s meet back here in four hours.”
Once they reached the task site, Moon Yu-jin made the first suggestion.
‘…Wasn’t this a team assignment?’
True, there wasn’t any explicit rule against individual action.
But I hadn’t expected her to suggest splitting up the moment they arrived.
‘Does she prefer working alone to cooperating with others?’
As the top student in the school, she probably possessed a Core and talents to match. Others might just feel like obstacles to her.
In any case, individual action was what Ji-u wanted too.
I had no intention of bonding with classmates or building memories with them.
And frankly, individual action was far more convenient for using my Core freely.
“Understood.”
Lim Li-sa nodded without raising any objections.
“We’ll collect as many Magic Stones as we can, count them, and if we’re short, we can gather more on the way back. Sound good?”
12:30 p.m. Past noon.
Ji-u and Li-sa silently agreed with Yu-jin’s words, and immediately scattered in different directions.
A few moments later.
The clearing where the three had vanished now stood empty.
Bushes on one side rustled slightly.
“…….”
Strikingly vibrant orange hair.
Gu Min-jae, with a coldly set expression, emerged from the bushes.
He turned sharply in the direction where Ji-u’s team had disappeared, which he’d been staring at intently.
A black shoe crumpled in his grip, nearly torn apart.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————