Chapter 7: Qualification ④

It was just as I was about to return to the dorm.

“They say things have been pretty rough for you in class.”
“……Did Yuryeon tell you?”

Durek shook his head.

“There are a few exceptional talents in Dorm 7. You should assume the eyes and ears of Telon’s influential figures are planted all over the dorm.”
“……The higher-ups sure seem very interested in budding talent.”
“They’re looking for someone to sponsor.”

Not every villain clashes head-on with heroes. Sure, confronting heroes can boost your rank quickly—but the mortality rate is just as high.

If you’re afraid of that, you can choose to stay in Telon.
Their job is monster clean-up.

They’re usually called cleaners.

“The Association doesn’t interfere with disputes between cleaners. Their primary enemies are other cleaners. Now, what do you think these hundreds of cleaner factions have done to gain an edge?”

They find protection from elite villains who’ve moved on to the city.
More precisely, they borrow their names.

Like, ‘so-and-so faction is allied with so-and-so villain.’

“This is a good opportunity. Iran, crush the ones who belittled and ignored you. The stronger the impression you make, the stronger the faction that will approach you.”
“……Is that so?”
“What were you planning to do originally?”

It was the same question Yuryeon had asked me before.
Back then, I gave this answer:

“I wasn’t going to do anything. Just stopping the bullying would’ve been enough.”
“……I see.”

For some reason, Durek stroked his chin and sank into thought.

I looked up at him and asked a question of my own.

“Is it necessary?”
“……Hmm?”
“To punish Reminis. Is this something I have to do?”

“I don’t like it.”

The class rep’s expression turned cold.
The kids who had been laughing shut their mouths instantly.

A chilling silence fell.

I tilted my head slightly.

“Could you stop with the fake composure and holier-than-thou act? It’s disgusting.”
“……?”

She tapped her thigh with her fingers.

“Who do you think you are—Yuryeon?”

“Or maybe Yu Haeseon?”
“…….”
“Powerful, beautiful, full of aura… Do you think you’re on the same level as those monster b*tches?”

Suddenly, she started giggling like she’d heard a great joke.

“You f*cking idiot! What good is beauty or aura when you don’t have the most important thing—power?!”

Still laughing, she spread her arms.

“Everyone here’s the same! Just a bunch of losers. Trash among trash—that’s what Class 8 is!”
“…….”
“I can’t stand it anymore. Acting like a flower on a pile of garbage… it’s disgusting.”

She stuck out her tongue like she’d tasted something vile.

“Today, I’m going to make you realize it. That you’re no flower—just a sewer rat crawling through filth.”

I see.
I think I get where she’s coming from.

Like watching a classmate from trade school aiming for Seoul National Medical School.
It makes sense to feel a little disgusted.

Whether that’s right or wrong is another matter, but I think it’s human.

However, there was one contradiction in her words that I couldn’t let slide.

“……I don’t remember ever acting like a flower.”

I barked when I was told to bark.
I spun when I was told to spin.
I ate what they gave me.

Shouldn’t I be the one who’s pissed off?

The class rep’s face twisted with disgust.

“……How f*cking fake. Hey, boys.”

As if waiting for the cue, the boys stood up.
One of the girls quietly stepped in front of the door, blocking the exit.

“It must’ve been hard holding back all this time. Thanks for your patience.”
“”No, thank you!””
“This is your reward. Do whatever you want.”
“”Thank you!!””

The class rep leaned her chin on her hand, watching.
The boys standing in front of me had a glint in their eyes.

The boy in the lead reached for me.

His hand was headed somewhere inappropriate, so I took a step back.

His grasp missed, and his eyes narrowed.

“You know…”

I reached my hand toward him.
For some reason, a blush crept up on his face, as if he misunderstood.

A big, rough hand moved toward me.

Just as our hands were about to touch—

I smiled at him.

“Gross.”

Bang!

The class rep’s eyes rolled wildly.
The moment she met the gaze of the boy, now collapsed and showing the whites of his eyes, her expression hardened instantly.

A strange silence fell over the room.

“…….”

The class rep stared silently at the unconscious boy.

Eventually, one of the girls who’d been watching stammered with a trembling voice.

“W-What…?”

From that moment on, whispers began to spread like wildfire.

–Why’d he go flying all of a sudden?
–What just happened?
–Seriously, what the hell?
–Isn’t she supposed to be ‘out of rank’…?

Clap clap.

“Alright, everyone. Let’s calm down.”

The kids’ attention snapped to me. A dozen or so pairs of eyes trembled wildly in fear.

I lifted just one corner of my mouth in a crooked grin.

“A dog bit its owner. That’s all.”

The kids who’d treated me like an animal went pale.

–You’re not going to do anything? Why not?
–These kids grew up in an environment like this. I think it makes sense.

Yuryeon had chuckled bitterly as she recalled that moment.

A villain’s aptitude… it isn’t just about brute strength.

Charisma.
That’s what Iran lacked.

She’s not a rival.
Just a scarecrow, getting pushed around.

There’s no need to keep her in check. Just use her while it’s convenient, then toss her aside.

Which is why, in this generation, only three people could be considered true rivals to Yuryeon.

And one of them was sitting right across from her now.

“Did you find her?”

A boy in clown makeup leaned his upper body in.

Yuryeon shrugged.

“She’s nowhere to be found.”
“……You sure you looked properly?”
“My sponsors searched far and wide. She’s definitely not in Telon.”
“……Son of a b*tch! Does Yu Haeseon not have any damn parents?!”

Yuryeon responded dryly to the boy’s tantrum.

“Yeah. Probably not. If she did, one of her blood relatives would’ve surfaced by now.”
“Fck, I knew it! That orphan btch! She’s gotta be the daughter of some wh*re—”

As the stream of curses continued, Yuryeon let out a sigh.

“Well, there’s no helping it. If she doesn’t have a weakness, we’ll just have to create one.”

Suddenly, the boy’s voice changed.
Cold and calm—like ice water poured over a fire.

Yuryeon looked at him with a mix of disgust and resignation.

“……Why are there so many psychopaths in our dorm?”
“You’re not really one to talk.”
“I’m clean, thank you very much.”

Paranoia? Maybe anxiety at most?

“Enough with the chatter. I’ve got a question.”

The boy locked eyes with Yuryeon.

“You’ve got a junior now, right?”
“…….”
“Iran. That newbie from Class 8. Don’t tell me you don’t know her.”
“Oh~ I know her, I know her. Why?”

The boy frowned.

“‘Why?’ Are you fcking serious? Cut the bullsht and answer me straight. Is she our ‘enemy’ or not?”
“Well, she’s got some talent.”
“Fck’s sake, then why the hell didn’t you say anything until now?! What kind of sht are you planning this time?!”

The boy looked ready to blow again.
Yuryeon just watched him with amused detachment before letting out a small laugh.

“But she’s got no aptitude.”
“What?”
“It’s a temperament issue. Just think of her as a scarecrow. I’ll handle her.”

The boy narrowed his eyes, studying Yuryeon closely—like he was trying to read the truth behind her words.

“……Well, if that’s really the case.”

Satisfied, he leaned back on the couch.

“Got an invitation from Class 8’s rep. I assume you got one too?”
“Yeah. Something about a fun show. Though it’s pretty obvious what’s going on.”

Disgust began to cloud Yuryeon’s expression.

“You going?”
“No. Why would I?”
“Your junior… she’s kinda my type. I don’t want to miss the show.”
“I doubt it’ll be anything like what you’re expecting.”

The outcome was obvious.

Class 8’s rep would get wrecked by Iran.
End of story.

Nothing entertaining about that.

“I know.
Still, I need to see it for myself at least once.”

“Sure, then.”

With that, the boy left the room.

Left alone, Yuryeon closed her eyes and organized her thoughts.

Crown. Yu Haeseon. Kizel.

The three who were grouped with her as equals.
But neither Yuryeon nor her master agreed with that evaluation.

Only Yu Haeseon.

She was the only one in this generation who could truly stand against her.

If she could just remove her—

There would be no one left to threaten her rank in the future.

She was deep in thought, building her plans.

Bang!

The door slammed open, and Crown stormed in, veins bulging in his neck.

“Yuryeon, you fcking btch!”

“Haa… Can you not be so hot and cold all the time?”

“What kind of bullsh*t are you pulling this time?!”

“……?”

Something about his reaction felt off.
Narrowing her eyes, Ryen studied the boy’s twisted expression.

“‘Temperament issue’? ‘F*cking scarecrow’?!”

“……Wait, calm down and explain.”

“Calm? Caaalm? You can shove your calm up your a**!
Fck, I already can’t deal with all this, and now some psycho btch joins the party?!”

Crown flipped her off as he stormed out of the room.

Yuryeon just blinked at the closed door.

Then, she stood up.

She walked down the hallway.

Ahead, a crowd had gathered.

Strangely, not a single breath could be heard among them.

They were all holding their breath, just watching the scene unfold.

[Assembly – Class 8]

“…….”

Yuryeon approached.

The students silently parted to let her through.

And when she finally saw the scene inside the classroom—

“Woof! Woof!”

A girl, blood smeared around her mouth, was crawling in circles on all fours.

With every bark, drops of blood splattered from her lips.
But she didn’t stop making dog noises.

A familiar face.

Class 8’s gorilla class rep.

The rest of Class 8 were all sitting on their beds, watching.

Their faces pale, like they were about to die.

Yuryeon’s expression slowly stiffened.

Her gaze shifted.

A girl sat on a bed, legs crossed.

“Good girl~”

Every time she clapped in delight, more blood splattered.
Some of it even landed on her snow-white cheek.

“Huh? Why didn’t you bark just now?”

“S-Sorry…”

“Do dogs talk?”

“W-Woof! Woof woof!”

“Looks like you need punishment.”

“Woof! Woof! Woof woof!!”

The girl reached out.

Her slender fingers slipped into the class rep’s mouth.

Tears streamed down the class rep’s face.
She desperately tried to mimic a dog, but the girl showed no mercy.

She twisted.

“AaaaAAARGH!!”

A horrific scream rang through the hallway.

Her teeth, caught between the girl’s thumb and index finger—
once white, now glistening red with blood.

Suddenly, the girl turned her head.

Their eyes met—Yuryeon, frozen in shock, and the girl, beaming as if pleased.

“When did you get here?”

“…….”

“Oops, guess I showed an ugly side.”

Iran tried to wipe the blood from her cheek, but it only smeared further.

Yuryeon opened and closed her mouth a few times before barely managing to speak.

“W-What… what are you doing…?”

“Oh, this?”

The girl gently stroked the class rep’s hair.

“Let me introduce her.”

As always.

With a bright smile, she said it casually.

“Class 8’s new dog.”

Ep 2. Aptitude (End)