As a result of his words, Zaen became the recipient of a harsh punishment. For the rest of the days until the start of the next round of games, he was locked up in solitary confinement.

He used that time to complete a couple of tasks, but did not say a word to anyone. Not even when Eira, Ann, or other instructors came to deliver him food. It wasn't just that, he also refused to eat anything, choosing to survive on the system shop ration.

It was his form of rebellion.

What he didn't know was that he got off easy.

If it had been anyone else to say anything to portray the cult in a positive light, first they'd be tortured until the organization could say for sure whether the said person had had any contact with the cult or not.

After that, they'd have their minds wiped clean before being forced to undergo reforming procedures.

On the day of the next round, everyone was told to gather on the training ground. At a glance, one could see how nervous everyone was, but among them, some were entirely indifferent.

They had trained for the exact purpose, and would also have help from the seniors once they were done completing their own rounds. Yes, some of them wouldn't return, but it wasn't a cause for their concern.

There were no grand speeches, no last-minute strategy alterations. The recruits just stood in the field, waiting for the mist to swallow them.

Zaen was standing at the side, not mingling with the rest, when the mist descended. Soon, familiar words flashed before their eyes.

[Host conditions met. Hunter Game Simulator starting...]

[Startup complete.]

[Final reminder: All effects are based on reality. Please try your best to ensure your personal safety while playing the game. Have fun. Beep-Boop!]

[Let the hunt begin!]

"Wait… something is wrong!"

"No objective prompts? Didn't the instructors say we'll also get an objective prompt upon entering the scene?"

They had just stepped into the unknown, and the place was already in chaos. The objective they knew about was a simple one.

The recruits would have a base, which would be under siege by the anomalies. They would have to defend the base for a week. In that week, they'd have nothing to eat other than the anomalies they'd kill.

That's why they were forced to consume raw, stench-filled flesh in the academy. The recruits were prepared for that, but upon entering the scene, they realized something was seriously off.

So… that's how it is.

Zaen could sense the outlines of the broken building before them.

The base they supposedly had to protect… was already in ruins. Since the stage had been sabotaged, Beep-Boop naturally didn't have a 'quest' to give them other than surviving.

"Zaen!" Hina yelled, hurrying to his side.

Before he could respond, she had already thrown herself in his arms. Earlier, she had to behave on the ground, but now she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Those pricks! Who do they think they?" she cried, burying her face in his chest. "Just look at how thin you've gotten! This is too much!"

She was still declaring her grievances when, like a gust of wind, the Cho siblings appeared next to them.

"Husband, grandfather told me about your… punishment," Mimi mumbled, before bowing at a perfect 90 degrees. "It was my failure to protect you. Please punish me however you please!"

"…dude, if you were about to go on a rampage, you could have told me about it at least," Ben chimed in, playfully hitting Zaen's shoulder. "We might have some disagreements, but I would also be ready to help you. After all, Grandfather has approved of you, so we're family now—"

"Shut your trap!" Hina said, pointing her dagger at the siblings. "I'm warning you. Zaen is mine, so get away from him while I'm being nice!"

Just like that, Zaen once again found himself in the position of a wishbone being pulled from both sides.

However, this time, he wasn't in any mood to entertain either of them. He gently pushed them back, taking a step away from them.

"As you can see, I'm alive," Zaen said, his voice sounded a bit strange since he hadn't spoken a word in a while. "Instead of this drama, you should be focused on what to do next."

Suddenly, a scream tore through the air. Their heads snapped to the side, only to see that fifteen or so unknown individuals were attacking the recruits. Several of them were already on the ground, writhing before being killed by one of the fifteen masked individuals.

"The cult…" Ben mumbled.

Zaen wasn't sure of it until then, but Ben had confirmed his suspicion. As for why he was suspicious… it was because he noticed someone familiar among them.

"What was the blade user's name? Nemesis… right."

"What is the meaning of this!" a recruit yelled.

Once the initial shock passed, everyone went on the offensive. The recruits fell into position according to their training, but watching them, the woman leading the cultists laughed.

"Sorry, but we don't have time to waste here with the bunch of you," she said, tilting her head. "The faster you die, the faster your seniors will show up… and they'll die too. So please… just die already."

As she said that, her group scattered, attacking the recruits randomly.

Out of nowhere, Zaen kicked Ben away and pulled the girls behind him. A moment later, the spot where the three of them were standing exploded. Dust and debris were sent flying everywhere.

"Finally… found you!" Nemesis snarled, cutting off the curtain of dust with his hair-whips.

Zaen didn't reply, just brought out the Boning Sword. Just as the two of them seemed ready to clash, Mimi appeared behind Nemesis, her sword trained to sever his head.

However, there was only a loud clang as she swung the blade. One of Nemesis's many hair-blades blocked her strike.

He hadn't even bothered to look at her throughout the action. It was like his hair had grown sentience and had become capable of defending Nemesis on its own.

"Do you like the upgrades?" Nemesis snarled.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.