Black Badger

Conversations were prohibited while the exam was in progress.

The badgers watched as the three new recruits boarded the Chinook with precise movements.

The Chinook took off into the sky, carrying the new recruits and their instructors.

"Armed parachute assault?"

"Yeah, obviously."

The people spoke in lowered voices.

"They're all geared up and boarded."

Airborne training was the most dangerous part of the badger exam, but as long as there were no issues during the landing process, most candidates passed.

The onlookers munched on the snacks they'd brought, waiting for the three new recruits to drop like tiny mushroom spores.

Soon, the Chinook arrived over the drop zone.

The door of the Chinook opened, and the new recruits leaped out into the clear blue sky.

The sky grew clearer the higher they went. Against that blue backdrop, three green parachutes unfurled one after another.

"Ah, the helicopter's enviable."

Someone let out a small sigh.

"I wanted to jump from a Chinook too."

"Don't even say it. During my exam, it rained so hard I barely jumped from the balloon."

"Hey, airplanes make you so seasick."

As the conversation continued, the new recruits' parachutes slowly descended.

Since there were no collisions in midair or tangled parachutes, a sense of peace settled over the media room.

Then, as three drones caught up to the new recruits nearing their landing, the tension returned.

The first to land was Hesi Lyle.

The people let out impressed "oohs" as they watched the new recruit roll perfectly on the ground in textbook form.

"Textbook landing."

"His dad's a general in the military. He has to pull that off."

"I heard he completed airborne training before even joining."

Hesi sprang to his feet and quickly pulled in his parachute.

The onlookers marveled again at how swiftly he coiled the parachute lines around his arms. Meanwhile, on one side of the split screen, Tom approached the ground.

The people burst into laughter at the redhead who landed smoothly and then deliberately rolled on the ground.

"He's rolling on purpose!"

"Nice landing. Good job."

"Such a model student, even rolling like that."

Tom, who had landed as lightly as a dandelion seed, began methodically retrieving his parachute.

As Richard grumbled, "No problems, but it's clear the form isn't ingrained in his body yet," it was Hilde's turn.

Hilde also rolled on the ground upon landing.

"He looks a bit strained?"

The people commented as they watched the white-haired new recruit get up from the ground.

"Did he not wake up fully? Or twist his ankle?"

"His landing form was perfect."

"His legs should be fine."

Richard, who had been watching the screen intently with his arms crossed, spoke up.

"No issues with his form, and it doesn't seem like his legs are hurting."

"Exactly. If something went wrong during landing, he wouldn't have come down so cleanly."

"But he does look really tired."

A mix of curiosity and concern spread through the media room.

"Did he stay up all night from nerves?"

The first exam passed without any major issues.

The new recruits retrieved their parachutes and returned to the instructors. The spectators stretched comfortably and caught up on gossip. They only tensed briefly when the new recruits landed; otherwise, they enjoyed the lull until the next exam.

But Ami suddenly stood up from her seat.

Ignoring the puzzled looks from Shu and Ricardo, she headed into the aisle.

"Brother."

She approached Yoon's row and spoke. Yoon turned his head.

"Why the long face?"

"What long face."

He replied curtly.

Ami didn't answer.

She stared up at him intently. Unable to withstand the silent gaze, Yoon let out a small sigh.

"Go sit down."

"Will you tell me after it's over?"

"Watch."

Yoon replied shortly and nodded for her to return to her seat.

"You'll probably find out by the end anyway."

Ami returned to her seat upon hearing that.

Shu asked, "Why, senior?" Ricardo also waited for an answer with his eyes, but Ami just said she'd asked Yoon about something she was curious about and he'd explain later, then plopped down in her chair.

She was quick to switch gears.

Pushing aside her unresolved curiosity, Ami reached out, saying it was her first time trying salt and vinegar and it was so good.

As Shu explained the addictive nature of salt and vinegar to her, Ricardo suddenly interjected.

"Why is he in that state?"

Ami immediately understood his question.

"He didn't tell me. But I think we'll find out by the end."

"He's not the type to get nervous just because of an exam..."

Ricardo muttered to himself and leaned back in his chair.

Ami didn't respond and kept munching on her potato chips.

Until a husky voice came from behind.

"He looks like he's in pain."

The three heads in front turned around.

Silvia didn't react to the stares directed at her. Instead, she fixed her gaze on the white-haired new recruit among those heading to the rock climbing wall they had to ascend.

With her renowned intuition and hunting skills, she scrutinized Hilde with her blue eyes.

Without looking at Ami, Silvia asked.

"Did he eat something bad?"

"Ah. That could be it."

The senior with the round eyes picked up a potato chip and looked at the screen.

The three new recruits were stretching their wrists and ankles, preparing for the climb.

Looking at Hilde, who lacked his usual composure and nonchalance, Ami muttered to herself.

"Does he need to go to the bathroom?"

*

"Ugh!"

"Whoa!"

"Ugh."

The second event was rock climbing.

The badgers watching the exam, which wasn't as dangerous as the first but had a fairly high failure rate, let out shouts.

Richard furrowed his brow.

The three mentors' expressions darkened.

The people exhaled as they watched Hilde, who had slipped but held on with his arm strength, dangling like a pendulum for a moment before stretching out one arm and resuming his climb up the rock wall.

"That shaved ten years off my life."

"Good arm strength. I thought he'd fall, but he shot right back up."

"He climbed the headquarters building last time. If he can handle that smoothly, this natural rock wall is a piece of cake."

"He's really fast."

"But doesn't his legs look weak?"

The badgers' attention focused on Hilde, who was in the lead.

Hesi and Tom weren't as fast as Hilde, but they were climbing steadily.

That's why people had been watching Tom and Hesi more. Their eyes were drawn to the juniors they weren't confident would finish on time.

The biggest reason for failure in the climbing exam was speed. Most made it up safely, but many dropouts simply didn't finish within the time limit.

Tom was lagging the most. He carefully confirmed each foothold, making him slower than the other two.

It wasn't critically slow, but there was a big speed gap with Hilde.

As they watched Tom, feeling the pressure of the time limit, Hilde, who had been progressing fine, suddenly slipped.

"He's barely using his legs."

Someone commented as the new recruit continued climbing, seemingly forgetting he'd nearly fallen.

"Did he really sprain his ankle during the drop?"

"No, I told you not. He just looks a bit low on energy?"

"You can feel his determination to finish quick and rest."

The seniors chuckled softly.

"Nearly fell, but his speed picked up even more."

Hilde finished the climb first.

He lay flat afterward and didn't move while waiting for Hesi and Tom to catch up. The seniors' attention shifted back to Hesi and Tom. They climbed steadily without a single misstep. Someone muttered that Tom's time was close, but it wasn't a problem.

Shu smiled faintly, noting all three were much faster than her.

Ami looked at Hilde, who showed no sign of getting up.

"Guess he doesn't need the bathroom. He just looks exhausted."

"He hasn't been pulled for any missions lately, right? I thought he was just holed up training..."

Ricardo narrowed his eyes, arms crossed.

Ami tilted her head too.

"Yeah. Nothing that could've injured him."

She stared at Hilde, who only slowly got up after Tom finished.

"Does he have a cold coming on?"

The morning schedule wrapped up quickly.

Since everyone handled it without issues, lunch came early. The three new recruits huddled together and started eating the prepared food. The people in the media room also left for lunch. Seeing some head out entirely, figuring they'd pass, several others followed.

But the mentors stayed in the media room.

The youngest among them, Angela, returned with the lunch she'd ordered in advance.

The three, who weren't very talkative even off-duty, chewed their sandwiches in silence.

Shu and Ami remained seated too.

"You're not going out?"

"Yeah. I'm about to order a burger—want one, Shu?"

"Yes. Just a cheeseburger for me."

"I'll have one too."

Ricardo spoke to Ami, who was browsing the delivery app.

The man leaned back in his chair, watching the new recruits eat lunch.

"Add a sparkling water too..."

"Got it."

Ami placed the order, including Silvia's share, and went out a few minutes later to pick it up.

The space was now deserted.

Those remaining in the media room ate their burgers while watching the new recruits rest on the screen.

Ami's brow furrowed as she chewed her burger and looked at the screen.

"He really does seem to have a cold."

On the screen, Hilde had his eyes closed, leaning against the table.

"Did he overdo the training?"

"But I saw the new recruits' faces around 5:50 yesterday."

Shu also raised an eyebrow in confusion and glared at the screen.

The youngest badger there, aside from the three on the other side of the screen, muttered in her usual flat tone.

"They looked totally fine then? Super good condition too."

The afternoon exam time arrived quickly.

The badgers who had left for lunch returned to the media room one by one. Many didn't come back, but new faces entered in their place—those who hadn't woken up in time that morning or finished the morning schedule and now headed over.

Among the latter, Lee Ho-chang rushed in just before shooting started.

"Ugh. Thought I was late."

Panting, he entered and walked over to Ami, who was waving him over.

"Shooting starting now?"

"Yeah! Soon! Sit next to Rick, Iho."

"The other two are fine, but I'm worried about Hilde."

Lee Ho-chang plopped down next to the grinning Ricardo and scratched his head.

Perhaps remembering how Hilde got chewed out by Richard when they went out of the core together, Lee Ho-chang's eyes went first to the white-haired new recruit.

"Did he practice shooting?"

The new recruits passed the shooting exam without issue.

Tom scored the highest. Hilde was the lowest. But even Hilde met the passing score.

The seniors burst into laughter at Hilde, who spread his arms and silently celebrated after firing his last shot.

"He's so happy."

"Shooting must've been his biggest worry. During the climb, when he took first, he just looked tired."

"Last place and he's thrilled like that."

Hilde continued his silent joy until preparations for the next exam were ready.

Unable to speak to him, Hesi and Tom grinned and gave him thumbs up.

A small laugh rippled through the media room.

"Like chicks."

"Just ocean swimming left?"

"After the basic fitness check. But they'll all pass smoothly."

"Not sure. Ocean swimming's the toughest. Most dropouts happen there."

As the mentors held back, conversation flowed among others.

"After a full day of tense exams, their stamina must be drained, right?"

The basic fitness exam ended.

The new recruits now headed to prepare for the final exam: ocean swimming. They walked to the diving point and removed their combat boots there. Hesi finished preparing first. He neatly arranged his boots and took off his top, folding it beside them.

Tom did exactly the same.

Hilde quietly removed his boots too.

"He's not taking off his top?"

Unlike Tom and Hesi, Hilde showed no intention of removing his black T-shirt, so people muttered.

"Swimming in that, the seams will chafe and hurt."

"Doesn't he know?"

"Well, it won't be a big issue."

"Didn't they teach him to take off the top?"

Richard furrowed his brow and glanced at Yoon.

Yoon didn't respond. He didn't even look at Richard. He just stared at the screen with the same faint frown, filled with anger and irritation as when he'd first entered.

The emotion was so vivid that people gradually fell silent.

The media room grew a bit quieter than before.

Thanks to that, the exam sounds carried clearly, and the splashes of the new recruits diving in echoed loudly.

Splash!

Waves rippled.

The new recruits dove in, creating white foam, then emerged from the dark water.

The swimming exam began.

Hesi cut through the waves first, followed by Tom.

"Huh?"

Leaving Hilde behind.

"Why's his face like that?"