Rank 0 of the Awakener Special School - Chapter 40

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

Ranking 0 of the Awakener Special Academy
Episode 40
Even now, standing before Narak, Nam Raein kept his gaze fixed on his cell phone.
Game sound effects—beep, beep, beep—came through the speaker.
‘It’s still bothering me.’
What exactly was Nam Raein’s identity?
What was his relationship with Jihyo?
Of course, now that he’d joined the Special Squad, he’d run into Nam Raein from time to time going forward.
But Nam Raein was in a different division.
Since there was no knowing when the Special Squad’s next mission would come, there was no guarantee another chance like this would present itself.
After staring at him silently for a moment, Seol Jiou made his decision and turned to Tae Gayeong.
“I’ll go with Team 2.”
Moon Yujin’s gaze brushed against Jiou for an instant.
Tae Gayeong raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise, but didn’t ask for an explanation.
“Fine. If that’s what you want.”
Tae Gayeong gave a short nod and turned toward Narak.
“Everyone understands, I’m sure? Tonight we have hamburger steak. Meat tastes best while it’s still warm.”
Click—
The sound of her sword and sheath striking together came from her waist.
“Don’t be late.”
* * *
Inside Narak, it was like a very deep and damp cave.
The more Jiou breathed in, the more his throat constricted with cold, and his body instinctively went rigid.
“…Is this the X4 Zone?”
Do Minki murmured, surveying his surroundings.
He was gazing at Narak as though it were a museum, his expression entirely unchanged.
Jiou, watching from the corner of his eye, asked a question.
“What’s the X4 Zone?”
“It’s a geographical code I’ve stored in my head for convenience.”
…So what is it, then?
Regrettably, no further explanation came.
More than that, Do Minki continued his methodical survey, absorbed in observing something without pause.
Jiou and Nam Raein quietly followed behind him.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
Plink……
The sound of water dripping from somewhere unseen burrowed into his ears.
Sunlight didn’t reach this far. Instead, Mana Stones embedded in the walls and floor glowed faintly, like dead stars.
Within that soft luminescence, Do Minki, who had been leading the way, finally came to a halt.
“This should do well.”
Do Minki turned his head with a face that was not merely composed but downright cold.
“We’ll use this location as our waiting area, Raein, and—”
Do Minki’s eyes landed on Jiou. Behind his glasses, his gaze narrowed slightly.
He didn’t remember the name, then.
“Seol Jiou.”
“…Yes, the newcomer. You wait here as well.”
“Wait?”
“That’s correct.”
“No, hold on—”
He had no chance to speak. Do Minki spun around and disappeared deep into Narak.
Jiou stood staring after him in bewilderment.
“So, should we lie down?”
Nam Raein strolled over and leaned his back against a nearby wall, settling onto the ground.
Jiou then cast a sidelong glance at Nam Raein.
Is it really okay to just leave him like that?
As if he’d read that look, Nam Raein chuckled.
“Your legs will hurt if you keep standing.”
He patted the dirt beside him, inviting Jiou to sit.
Jiou’s brow narrowed slightly.
He had little choice.
After a brief hesitation, Jiou sat down some distance away from Nam Raein.
Click. Click. Click.
Nam Raein picked up nearby stones and tossed and caught them repeatedly, as if playing jacks.
When he sensed he was being watched, he turned his head sharply toward Jiou.
“Want to try?”
“…No.”
Jiou averted his gaze.
“But how long are we supposed to stay here?”
“Huh? Why?”
“Why else? We came because of the mission. Is it really okay to just sit here like this?”
Then came a light laugh.
Nam Raein was laughing as if he’d heard something funny.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because it’s funny.”
He flicked a stone upward and caught it deftly.
“Since you don’t seem to know, I’ll spell it out: our mission ends here.”
“……What?”
What kind of nonsense is that?
“The squad commander said it herself—just stay put here. That was an order.”
Jiou went rigid.
Staying here and waiting was an order?
Was that really what the mission was?
Nam Raein lay flat on his back. The stone-tossing had apparently grown boring.
Tap, tap, tap……
The sound of water dripping from stalactites on the ceiling was distinct. The air was that quiet.
It felt wasteful to just sit here in a daze.
‘Should I try digging up some information about Nam Raein instead?’
Jiou had chosen Team 2 partly because of Nam Raein, after all.
In that sense, this situation might have been an opportunity.
Let’s think about it.
Unlike the cold message he’d seen on his phone, the man before him didn’t seem to treat him awkwardly at all.
‘So did Jihyo push Nam Raein away unilaterally?’
While Jiou was lost in thought, suddenly he heard soft breathing beside him.
Nam Raein had fallen asleep.
“…….”
Staring at him intently, Jiou let out a small sigh and rose to his feet.
There was nothing for it. He’d scout the area a bit.
Though this spot seemed safe, there was always the possibility that Infected Beings might be lurking about.
And Jiou’s suspicion proved correct.
Not far down, he spotted two Infected Beings.
But.
‘…Why are they so large?’
It was strange.
This wasn’t the first time he’d seen Infected Beings.
The ones he’d encountered so far were at most around 170 centimeters, roughly his own size.
But the Infected Beings standing before him now appeared to be about ten centimeters taller.
And that wasn’t the only difference.
‘Something’s embedded in their bodies.’
In various places on their forms—elbows, necks, backs, even their faces—something protruded like boils.
Even in such darkness, those things glowed with a soft sheen. They were definitely Mana Stones.
He knew it instinctively.
The Infected Beings inside Narak were on a different level from any he’d encountered before.
“Keek, keek-keek……”
Upon spotting Jiou, the Infected Beings approached, drooling black liquid like foam.
In a normal situation, anyone here would have turned and fled.
‘It’s fine. Stay calm.’
Turning and running would be suicide.
Jiou made a slight gesture toward empty air.
Crash!
A stalactite attached to the ceiling behind him shattered and flew straight at an Infected Being.
“Keek! Keugh……”
The needle-like stalactite pierced directly through the Infected Being’s abdomen.
Under normal circumstances, it would have died instantly right there.
“Keugh, keugh-keugh……”
Watching the Infected Being writhe like an insect doused in pesticide, Jiou felt a flicker of internal alarm.
‘I was expecting a one-hit kill.’
…Though with an injury like that, it would die soon enough.
But the real problem was—
“Keeee……!”
The other Infected Being suddenly let out a sound close to a shriek and bolted off in the opposite direction.
Without even a backward glance, the fleeing creature’s form seemed to be running in panic, fear overcoming it.
‘What?’
The bizarre sight left him speechless.
Infected Beings had no intelligence.
Could they instinctively flee from a stronger opponent? No—when they saw any living thing, they charged. That was far more in line with their nature.
‘…Are the Infected Beings inside Narak naturally like that?’
This was his first time—how could he know?
Meanwhile, as Jiou struggled with confusion, the fleeing creature had already vanished from sight.
Without choice, he approached the fallen Infected Being and confirmed it was already completely dead, its abdomen pierced through.
Jiou decided to explore the area a bit more.
But he found no trace of Do Minki, only a few more Infected Beings scattered about.
‘Is that all?’
One final Infected Being he encountered fell with a thud.
Jiou brushed the dust from his clothes.
‘They’re definitely different from the ones I’ve met outside.’
It wasn’t a matter of them being stronger or too powerful to overcome……
It was more that they seemed to possess a certain degree of intelligence.
And their sizes varied considerably.
Some were massive, over 180 centimeters, while others were much smaller than him—tiny, like small children.
‘…I should head back for now.’
Jiou stopped thinking and decided to return to where they’d been waiting.
He couldn’t afford to be away too long—Nam Raein was asleep over there.
He couldn’t leave the unguarded man alone for an extended period.
But.
“……!”
Upon returning to the waiting area, Jiou came to an abrupt halt.
“You’re back?”
Nam Raein, whom Jiou assumed had been sleeping soundly, greeted him with a smile.
“That was faster than I expected.”
His gently waving hand was stained dark red.
The scent of blood permeated the air.
And at his feet, rolling about, was the severed head of an Infected Being.
——There was not just one.

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