Why Is Everyone in This Dating Sim Trying to Kill Me?!

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: The Hunt (1)

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The Velvet Academy's first-year midterm evaluation was an exam that Director Lina had overseen entirely, from start to finish, by herself.

Because of this, no one knew which country's territory this place belonged to, or where exactly it was located in which ocean.

Even now, as the instructors returned to process the gate that had opened in Korea, they still didn't know the island's location or name.

However, in the deepest part of that island,

inside a gloomy underground tunnel, a group of women spat curses, panting heavily.

"Damn it! What the hell is going on? How much longer do we have to stay like this?!"

A woman resembling a weasel with slanted eyes cursed.

At that, a bald woman with a face full of burn scars slowly opened her eyes.

"Silence."

"Ha, Boss! Shit! I'm seriously going crazy! We've been stuck in this tunnel for a week, without light, just eating roots!"

The weasel-like woman burst out her complaints.

Then, the other women around her also began to curse in unison.

"Damn it, I'm hungry! I'm thirsty! I can't take it anymore! Boss!"

"Haa, every time I hear those soft male student voices outside, I go crazy, couldn't we just sneak one out…!?"

"…Gulp. I secretly saw one last time, a guy with black hair, seriously hot."

The bald woman swept her heavy gaze over them.

"Then go out. But you'll have to leave your tongue behind."

At that, those who had been complaining immediately fell silent as if nothing had happened.

What she was saying now was certainly not a joke.

Their boss, Rebecca, was someone who always kept her word.

"…But, Boss. How much longer do we have to hide like this? I'm really at my limit now."

The weasel-like woman said to her in a subdued voice.

"Hmm…"

At her words, Rebecca swallowed.

Things had gone completely awry.

It had already been a week since they dug this tunnel and hid here.

They were all demons.

They had temporarily hidden on a deserted, uninhabited island to avoid the world's eyes, but just two days after settling in, Velvet Academy students suddenly swarmed in.

Fortunately, Rebecca was a mid-level executive of the Demon Society, so she carried an artifact that concealed her mana.

Thanks to it, they succeeded in digging a tunnel and evading the Demon Lord's gaze, but who knew how long that would last.

Eventually, they would be exposed the moment the Demon Lord set foot on this land.

"Boss, still no contact from above?"

"…Yes. They just told us to wait for now."

"Shit, wait?! We're just going to die waiting! Did they cut us off?!"

Rebecca bit her lip hard.

"…"

It wasn't like she enjoyed being in this situation either.

She had once strutted around with a certain amount of pride as a mid-level executive of the Demon Society.

A month ago, however, her monster arena was exposed to the eyes of a certain woman, and everything went completely wrong.

A woman with a black bob and ghostly sword skills.

A cold appearance befitting the word "killing demon."

She, along with women wearing strange animal masks, completely ravaged her gambling den.

And not only that, the secret Demon Society branch that had been subtly built beneath it was thoroughly ransacked, leaving not a speck of dust behind.

Her boss, whom she served, had already met his end by that woman's sword, and Rebecca barely managed to escape with only a few of her subordinates.

Recalling the woman's emotionless eyes, a shiver ran down Rebecca's spine.

'I hid here in a place no one knew to avoid her, and it turns out to be Velvet Academy's first-year student exam site?'

Could her luck really be this bad?

Thrum-thrum-thrum—

It was then.

Something in her pocket vibrated.

"…Huh?"

This vibration?

An artifact she always kept close like a lifeline, but which hadn't responded once since the branch was destroyed.

It was the Demon Society's communication stone.

Gulp.

Rebecca swallowed dryly and, fearing the Demon Lord might notice, carefully infused mana into the artifact.

[ …It's been a long time, Rebecca. ]

Gasp!

A grating, unpleasant voice flowed from the artifact, and Rebecca gasped for breath.

It was real.

It was contact from the main Demon Society!

"…For destruction."

Rebecca straightened her posture and replied, even though she couldn't see the person on the other end.

And the women around her also held their breath, listening intently to the artifact.

[ I will give you a chance to atone for your past mistakes. ]

The main point came out immediately, without any context, but a thrill surged within Rebecca, who had received the order.

"Yes, thank you."

[ Kill the Academy students. ]

However, the order that came down was completely unexpected.

"A-Academy students, you mean…?"

Cold sweat beaded on Rebecca's bald forehead. Wasn't this just telling them to die?!

[ Yes. ]

"B-but…!"

[ Foolish one. You still haven't cast off your doubts about the Incarnation. ]

"...I apologize!"

[ The Demon Lord is not here now. No, all high-ranking Velvet Academy officials have been diverted. Only trash remains on the airship. ]

"!"

Rebecca's body trembled with a shiver.

What was the reason they had been hiding all this time?

It was precisely because they couldn't possibly contend with the monster known as Demon Lord Lina, no matter how much power they possessed.

But if she wasn't here, then it was just a bunch of inexperienced weaklings.

"…Hehehehehe."

Rebecca's lips stretched into a wide grin.

And her subordinates around her also wore smiles filled with glee.

[ Then, I expect results. ]

"For destruction."

And so, those who had been holding their breath in the shadows began to stir with anticipation.

* * *

Waaaaaaaah!!!

Kill them! Kill them!!!

Don't let anyone live!!!

Uga uga!

Aaaargh! You maniacs!!!!

"Y-Yuha? Th-this is… what in the world…"

Sophia's eyes trembled as she looked at the battlefield.

A grand battle was raging in the middle of the uninhabited island.

"I-is this the Velvet Hunter Academy's test…?"

Primitives smeared with brown liquid were battling students in refined attire.

Sophia was at a loss as to how to comprehend the current situation.

Her gaze naturally shifted towards Jin Yuha.

And Jin Yuha, taking in the sight…

Didn't know.

What was this?

Scary.

He was staring blankly at the battlefield.

'No, seriously… How in the world did it even come to this?'

This midterm evaluation was a two-week test.

The first week was a process of testing individual survival skills, forming parties, and acquiring coins by hunting monsters.

And the remaining week was about using the accumulated coins and experience to hunt and compete against each other.

Students wouldn't die from attacks by other students.

If a student sustained a fatal injury in combat with another student, they would immediately be summoned to the airship.

However, uninvited guests had intruded,

and if students were hit by their attacks, they could not be summoned.

'…It probably wasn't in the game because it was too cruel, but they probably all died. This incident made the director apologize to the nation.'

Of course, it was an emergency situation with an S-rank gate opening, so mitigating circumstances applied.

But for students to be attacked by demons was a painful blunder.

So, he had to heal students attacked by demons or finish them off quickly to send them back up.

And deal with the demons quickly before the damage escalated.

That was the core of the main story.

'…But what the hell happened?'

I was planning to find one of our Utopia party members and backstab those demon bastards?

Those who should be playing a 3-person squad survival game are now playing a war simulation game.

And our Utopia party members are fighting a bloody battle in the center of that war.

KWAANG—!!!

Kang Dohee's and Lee Yuri's shields clashed, creating a tremendous roar.

"Wow—!!! Mad Dog! And Gukbap!"

Sophia exclaimed in admiration beside him, her eyes sparkling.

While Mad Dog, Kang Dohee, and Cheonhwa, Shin Sehee, were widely known to the general public,

Jin Yuha's fan club was usually well-versed in the members of his Utopia party.

Of course, the size of their fandom couldn't compare to Mad Dog and Cheonhwa.

But Tanker, [Gukbap], and Supporter, [Slit-Eyed Schemer], also had their own minor popularity.

"Hmm… It's pretty evenly matched, I guess?"

He gave up trying to understand the situation. There was no time to call each of them and ask what was happening.

Kang Dohee and Lee Yuri were fighting in the center, while Shin Sehee led other students, slowly chipping away at the primitives around them.

However, perhaps it was a matter of numbers.

Even with Shin Sehee and Kang Dohee teamed up, they were somehow maintaining an even balance.

"But Kang Dohee hasn't used her Berserk yet. If she uses Berserk, Lee Yuri will be pushed back."

No matter how blessed a tanker Lee Yuri was, she couldn't overcome an overpowered skill that ignored all elemental compatibility.

"So. Right now…"

Hmm. No, actually, this is good?

Anyway, he had to send as many students as possible back to the airship before the demons appeared.

And in this chaotic situation,

'I might be able to get the last hit? And since everyone's gathered here, I don't need to go looking for them one by one?'

And since the majority of the students were gathered here, the demons would clearly come here too.

Having sorted out his thoughts, he curled the corners of his lips into a smirk and turned his head towards Sophia.

"Sophia."

"…Yes?"

"Let's earn some coins. Aim for 3rd place."

"…3-3rd place? M-me?"

Perhaps the rank of 3rd place seemed too high, as Sophia replied with a hesitant voice.

'…She's a true genius, but she doesn't know she's a genius.'

Honestly, wouldn't other kids find her annoying?

"Sophia, could you… help me, please? Please. I really want to get into the top 3…"

He held Sophia's hand and spoke in a coaxing tone.

For some reason, this worked best.

'It wasn't like this in the game, but maybe it's because she had injuries back then.'

A fairly plausible guess.

After getting injured in the fight with the bear, Sophia had kept students at a certain distance, even if invisibly.

But now that she had no injuries, her original personality must be showing through.

Sophia, who usually granted almost any request, even if it seemed a bit unreasonable, when asked.

It felt like even if he didn't get into 3rd place, she'd agree if he asked her to retake the academy transfer exam and re-enroll.

'It's a problem that she's so kind. A problem. What's she going to do if she gets into the academy being so kind?'

Well, he was the one taking advantage of it, but still.

"Sophia, please. Just help me this one time."

When he urged her again,

Sophia, her face flushed crimson, nodded slightly.

"Y-yes, yes. I-I'll try…"