Free Web Novel“It’s been a long wait.
After a full fifteen hours, number 202’s turn finally came.
Roy, wearing the white shirt he’d swiped from Taeeon, stood up confidently.
Mountain, sea, sky.
Standing before the three doors, he headed straight for “Sea” without hesitation. For the same reason Yeonwoo chose Sky with his archery skill and Taeeon chose Mountain with his Earth element—this was where Roy could best showcase his own strengths.
If I can’t prove my skill right now, I can at least prove something else—like star quality.
If you asked me what my flashiest asset is, it’d be my face. Not to mention—
‘I majored in idol performance in my past life.’
I’ll beat you so hard you’ll cry and snot won’t stop flowing.
From watching those who got F earlier, the first blood fiend took about thirty seconds to reach the safe-zone. Thirty seconds is more than enough time for an experienced idol to captivate an audience.
‘Wondering if I have a plan? My idol charisma is the plan, you fools.’
Passing through the door rippling with blue light, Roy stepped onto the endless emerald sea.
Under a clear sky and warm sunshine, gentle waves rolled onto the golden sand, foaming white at the crest. It felt different from watching on the monitors, and he paused to take it in.
Then, in the distance beyond the horizon, he spotted a flicker of red light.
‘That’s a camera.’
There were three cameras—one facing the center of the safe-zone and one each flanking left and right. Standing before the left camera glowing red, Roy began his self-intro.
“Hello. I’m Lee Roi, seventeen years old. Please watch me with faith.”
A simple introduction of name and age, without mentioning any awakened ability. In the waiting area beyond the arena, a gentle murmur arose.
Roy had also agonized over how to introduce himself. He could claim Fire element, but he had no elemental skill to show. Calling himself a Mental-type awakened was too big a lie. So he decided:
‘Just don’t say anything.’
He had no plans to use God-scrying in the grade evaluation anyway—it wouldn’t make sense for an Elemental awakened to wield a Mental skill. Better not draw research attention to himself.
“That’s all.”
Roy bowed and finished.
[Ready]
At that moment, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) a huge numeral appeared in the blue sky—a five-second countdown commenced.
[Start]
With the start tone, Roy dashed out of the safe-zone.
✧
Watching participants, staff, and judges were all stunned. Though this was an AR simulation with no real injury, the pain felt real.
“?!”
“Director, what do we do?”
“Shouldn’t we stop this?”
Staff shouted to halt the evaluation. Judges exchanged worried glances at Junseo. If the participant suffered psychological trauma, it’d be troublesome. But Junseo hesitated to decide—because of Roy’s last words: “Please watch me with faith.” Somehow, Junseo felt that was a message meant for him. After a moment’s thought, he declared they would continue filming.
“There was no rule stating you cannot leave the safe-zone. We’ll proceed as is.”
“Director! If something happens—”
“I take responsibility.”
Junseo answered firmly. If worse came to worst, they could lower the kill switch. The Three Great Guild masters merely shrugged, readjusted their posture, and seemed unsurprised. Junseo refocused on Roy on screen.
Roy had left the safe-zone and was running toward the beach.
‘What on earth is he planning?’
Yet as he watched, Junseo felt a thrill blazing in his chest. Blue sky. Crystal water. A boy with a fresh face, white clothes billowing in the sun—this looked like...
“A sports drink commercial, right?”
Had he just spoken his thoughts aloud? Junseo jumped and turned to find Hangyeol standing arms-crossed.
“He’s handsome. If he weren’t an awakened, I’d sign him to our company.”
“Wh-what are you saying?! I already put dibs on Roi!”
Junseo, nearly bleeding from his nose and eyes, snapped at Hangyeol.
“Ha ha! Just saying, I’ve never seen a face like that in my life.”
Junseo puffed out his chest, pleased.
“I scouted him myself. Handsome, right?”
“You personally, PD? Wow—I’ve heard you have high standards, but they really are.”
“Of course. That’s why I asked Hangyeol to MC.”
“Ahaha!”
“Hahaha!”
They laughed together, businesslike, when suddenly Roy, crouched on the sand, began selecting stones. The sight was so serene and casual that, if not for the fiend surfacing in the distance, one could mistake it for a commercial scene.
Though Junseo had a producer stationed at the kill switch, he still felt uneasy. He licked his dry lips, then raised his radio to Director Jimmy.
“Jimmy, please zoom in gradually to focus on the participant.”
Despite the worry, they had to capture the best shot. Cameras busied themselves from every angle.
Meanwhile, the waiting area buzzed with panic.
“That bastard’s crazy!”
Yeonwoo, as if about to pass out, clutched his neck—
...and Taeeon, mouth agape, stared in disbelief. A water-born fiend was closing in, yet Roy was still picking stones.
Unable to stand by, Taeeon jumped up to speak to staff—planning to halt the evaluation.
“Hey—?!”
But as he rose, the arena erupted with astonished cries. The fiend had reached the shore and attempted to climb onto land. Taeeon’s face turned chalk-white as he nearly fainted.
‘What is he thinking? Why won’t the staff stop filming?’
His mind raced, when Roy, now close enough to touch the fiend, came into focus.
‘Please, run away!’
Taeeon’s palms sweated as he cheered Roy on. But that kid didn’t flee—instead he stood his ground.
“You idiot...!”
Never before had the model student spat an insult, yet out it came. And the camera that had been filming him found Taeeon too, so keen that he half-sensed Roy smiling at him.
Pulling a mischievous grin as if to dare them, Roy picked the largest, flattest stone he could find and gripped it. Then, standing sideways to the fiend, he hurled the stone low.
Thud—thud—thud—
A perfect stone-skipping.
‘No way.’
Was this the time to play duck-and-skip? Taeeon, dizzy, clutched his forehead as a pained scream echoed from the speakers.
“Kieek!”
Splash! The stone struck the fiend square on the brow, and it collapsed.
‘He... killed a fiend with a stone?’
Unheard-of. Was Roy an Enhancement awakened? Yet his body showed no change. The arena buzzed with speculation—and then a nearby participant’s voice cut through.
“That’s insane. Reminds me of him.”
Knows Roy? Taeeon glanced over, curious, only to hear:
“Zone 2 Crazy Guy.”
...What?
“You can’t mistake him for anyone else. The guy who free-climbed a cliff in District 2 and jumped from forty meters with five seconds left!”
...Huh?
What did our Roy do? Where did he jump from? Taeeon was left speechless.
✧
Meanwhile, having scored one kill with the stone-skipping shot, Roy hopped in delight. He hurled a second, then a third skip—but the first strike had been beginner’s luck. Stones for skipping needed to be flat; these were lousy. That meant no more fiends could be felled.
‘Hmm. I thought I could get at least three.’
What now? What do you do but run.
Screee!
Roy dropped all remaining stones and bolted.
“Kieeeek!”
“Kieek!”
“Uhyanghyang!”
A grotesque scene played out: a fiend in hot pursuit, and Roy grinning innocently as if playing tag. Even while fleeing, he maintained eye contact with the flickering red light.
Then, just before the fiend’s hand could touch him, he lunged back into the safe-zone—forcing the system to end the evaluation.
“Uwah!”
Thud! Unable to stop his momentum, he tumbled two full rolls inside the safe-zone.
“Ouch.” freēwēbnovel.com
Clutching his bruised spots, he twisted in pain—but then caught sight of the red light and grinned again. ƒrēewebnovel.com
“Hee.”
Next came the grade announcement.
[Participant Lee Roi’s grade is—]
A textbook problem-child type. No remarkable skill display, no twist.
The judges’ verdict:
[F.]
As expected. Yet Roy, as if he’d anticipated it, broke into a bright smile and flashed a peace sign at the camera.
“That was Lee Roi!”
The Zone 2 Crazy Guy’s explosive debut statement.
