Talking was forbidden while the exam was underway.
The Badgers quietly watched as the three rookies boarded the Chinook with crisp, precise movements.
The helicopter lifted off, carrying the recruits and the instructor into the sky.
“Are they doing a combat jump?”
“Obviously.”
Voices lowered to murmurs.
“They’re all armed, you can see that.”
The airdrop was one of the most dangerous parts of the promotion exam—but as long as no problems occurred during landing, it was also the one most recruits passed without issue.
People munched on snacks they’d brought, waiting for the three rookies to fall like tiny mushroom spores from the sky.
Before long, the Chinook reached the drop zone.
Its door opened, and the recruits shot out into the blue.
The sky grew clearer by the second. Against that deep blue backdrop, three green parachutes unfolded one by one.
“Man, I miss the chopper.”
Someone sighed quietly.
“I always wanted to jump from a Chinook.”
“Don’t even start. When I tested, it rained so hard we barely managed to use balloons.”
“Yeah, but planes make you sick as hell.”
While the chatter continued, the rookies’ parachutes drifted lower and lower.
Since no collisions or entanglements occurred, the atmosphere in the media room remained calm.
Then, as three drones zoomed in on the rookies approaching the ground, the tension rose again.
The first to land was Hesh Lyle.
Everyone let out a collective “Oh!” as he hit the ground and rolled perfectly.
“Textbook landing.”
“Well, his dad’s a general. You’d expect that.”
“I heard he already completed airborne training before joining.”
Hesh popped up immediately and yanked his parachute cords in, wrapping them neatly around his arms.
The onlookers murmured in admiration. Meanwhile, on the split screen, Tom was nearing the ground.
People laughed at the redhead tumbling gently after a smooth landing.
“He’s rolling on purpose!”
“Nice landing. What a good kid.”
“Model student—he even added an extra roll!”
Tom landed as softly as a dandelion seed and calmly started collecting his parachute.
While Richard grumbled that “there were no issues, but it’s obvious the stance isn’t second nature yet,” Hilde’s turn arrived.
Hilde also rolled upon hitting the ground.
“He looks kind of strained.”
People began commenting as the white-haired rookie stood up.
“Did he not get enough sleep? Or twist his ankle?”
“The landing posture was perfect.”
“No leg issue, then.”
Richard, arms folded, studied the screen intently.
“The stance was correct, and he doesn’t seem to be in pain.”
“Exactly. And if something went wrong on landing, his posture wouldn’t have come out that clean.”
“But he really does look exhausted.”
Uneasy whispers rippled through the media room.
“Maybe he’s just too nervous to sleep.”
The first test ended without incident.
The rookies retrieved their parachutes and returned to the instructors.
The onlookers relaxed, chatting freely now that the tension had passed. Most were at ease, enjoying the downtime before the next trial began.
But Ami suddenly stood up.
Ignoring Shu’s and Ricardo’s questioning looks, she stepped into the aisle.
“Hey, brother.”
Yun turned when she approached from behind his row.
“What’s with your face?”
“Whose face?”
A short reply.
Ami didn’t answer.
Her silent stare fixed on her older brother.
He sighed faintly.
“Go sit down.”
“You’ll tell me what’s going on after this, right?”
“You’ll see.”
Yun’s curt reply came with a small tilt of his chin, gesturing her back.
“You’ll find out soon enough anyway.”
As soon as he said it, Ami returned to her seat.
Shu asked, “What is it, senior?”
Ricardo’s eyes asked the same question.
But Ami simply said she had something she was curious about, and Yun would explain later, before plopping back into her chair.
She was quick to switch moods.
Setting aside her unanswered suspicion, she reached out with a grin.
“This is my first time trying salt-and-vinegar. It’s so good.”
While Shu started explaining the addictive qualities of the flavor, Ricardo suddenly spoke.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Ami immediately knew who he meant.
“He didn’t tell me. But we’ll find out soon.”
“Doesn’t seem like the type to get nervous over an exam...”
Ricardo muttered to himself, leaning back in his chair again.
Ami didn’t answer and kept crunching her chips.
Until a husky voice spoke behind them.
“He looks like he’s in pain.”
All three in the front turned their heads.
Sylvia didn’t react to their stares.
Her gaze was locked on the white-haired rookie approaching the climbing wall.
Known for her sharp instincts and hunting skills, she studied Hilde with her blue eyes.
Without looking at Ami, she asked,
“Did he eat something bad?”
“Ah. Maybe.”
Ami blinked at the screen, chip still in hand.
The three recruits stretched and prepared for the climbing test.
Hildebert, among them, showed none of his usual composure or playfulness.
“Maybe he just needs the bathroom,” Ami muttered.
***
“Ahh!”
“Whoa!”
“Oh, damn.”
The second event—rock climbing.
Not as dangerous as the first, but notorious for its high failure rate.
The Badgers watching couldn’t help but shout as they watched.
Richard frowned.
The mentors’ expressions darkened.
Gasps filled the room when Hilde, who had just slipped, managed to catch himself by pure arm strength, dangling for a moment like a pendulum before reaching up and continuing the climb.
“That scared the hell out of me.”
“Impressive arm strength. Thought he was done for.”
“He climbed the HQ building before, remember? If he can handle that, this natural rock should be nothing.”
“He’s fast.”
“But doesn’t it look like his legs are giving out?”
All eyes in the media room focused on the leading climber—Hilde.
Hesh and Tom weren’t as quick as him, but their movements were steady and stable.
Up to that point, most people had been watching Tom and Hesh instead—rookies they weren’t sure would make it in time.
The biggest reason people failed the climbing exam was speed.
Most made it to the top safely, but many were disqualified for being too slow.
Tom was the slowest this time.
He took time to test each foothold carefully, lagging behind the others.
Not dangerously slow—but much slower than Hilde.
So when people were watching Tom, worried about his timing, Hilde suddenly slipped.
“He’s barely using his legs.”
Someone spoke after seeing the rookie continue upward as if nothing had happened.
“Did he sprain his ankle during the drop?”
“Told you it wasn’t that. He just looks weak.”
“Looks like he’s trying to finish fast so he can rest.”
A few seniors chuckled.
“He almost fell, and now he’s going even faster.”
Hilde finished first.
He collapsed at the top and didn’t move while Hesh and Tom climbed up after him.
The seniors’ attention shifted back to the other two. They climbed without a single misstep, calm and methodical. Someone muttered that Tom might miss the cutoff time, but he made it just in time.
Shu smiled faintly. “They’re all faster than I was.”
Ami looked at Hilde, still lying flat.
“Guess it’s not the bathroom. He just looks dead tired.”
“He hasn’t been sent on missions recently, right? Just training.”
Ricardo narrowed his eyes.
Ami tilted her head.
“Yeah. He shouldn’t have had any chance to get hurt.”
She kept watching him as he slowly got up after Tom finished his climb.
“Maybe he’s coming down with something.”
The morning schedule wrapped up quickly.
Since all three passed without issue, lunch break came early.
The rookies gathered together, eating the prepared meals.
Many in the media room left to eat too—some even left for good, saying they were sure the rookies would pass.
The mentors didn’t leave, though.
Angela, the youngest of the three, fetched the lunches they’d preordered.
Even off duty, the trio rarely talked. They ate their sandwiches in silence.
Shu and Ami stayed as well.
“You’re not leaving, are you?”
“Nope. I’m about to order burgers. Want one, Shu?”
“Yes, please. Just a cheeseburger.”
“Me too~,” Ricardo chimed in.
Leaning back, he watched the rookies eating their lunch on-screen.
“Add a sparkling water for me too...”
“Got it~.”
Ami ordered for all of them, including Sylvia, and a few minutes later stepped out to pick up the food.
The room had grown quiet.
Those who stayed munched on burgers while watching the rookies rest.
Ami frowned as she chewed.
“He really does look sick.”
On-screen, Hilde sat with his eyes closed, leaning against the table.
“Maybe he overtrained?”
“But I saw the rookies around 5:50 yesterday,” Shu said, frowning.
The youngest Badger in the room, other than the ones being tested, spoke in her usual flat tone.
“He looked totally fine then. Great, actually.”
The afternoon test came quickly.
Badgers who’d gone out for lunch began trickling back in. Many others didn’t return, but new faces entered—those who’d slept late or finished other duties.
Among them was Leeho Chang, who rushed in just before the shooting test began.
“Damn, almost missed it.”
Panting, he made his way to Ami, who waved him over.
“They starting now?”
“Yeah! Soon! Sit next to Ric, Leeho.”
“The other two don’t worry me, but Hilde does.”
Leeho slumped down beside Ricardo, ruffling his hair.
He remembered watching Hilde get chewed out by Richard after that Core mission—and maybe because of that, his first glance went straight to the white-haired rookie.
“Has he been practicing?”
The shooting test went smoothly.
Tom scored the highest. Hilde, the lowest. But even Hilde managed to pass.
The seniors laughed watching Hilde silently spread his arms in joy after his final shot.
“He’s so happy.”
“Guess shooting worried him the most. He looked exhausted after the climb, but now he’s glowing.”
“He finished last—why’s he celebrating like that?”
Hilde kept silently rejoicing until preparations for the next test finished.
Hesh and Tom exchanged amused grins and gave him a thumbs-up.
A ripple of laughter spread through the media room.
“Little chicks.”
“Only the sea swim left now, right?”
“Once the fitness check’s done. Still, looks like they’ll all pass easily.”
“Maybe. But the sea swim’s the hardest. Most people drop out there.”
While the mentors remained silent, small talk spread.
“They’ve been tense all day; their stamina must be dropping.”
The fitness test ended.
The rookies now moved to the shore for the final test: the open-water swim.
They reached the diving point and took off their boots.
Hesh finished first—lining up his boots neatly and folding his shirt beside them.
Tom followed, doing the same.
Hilde quietly removed his boots as well.
“He’s not taking off his shirt?”
Unlike the other two, Hilde kept his black T-shirt on, drawing murmurs.
“That fabric’ll chafe like hell once it’s wet.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know?”
“Well, it’s not a big deal.”
“Did no one teach him it’s better to swim shirtless?”
Richard frowned and turned toward Yun.
Yun didn’t reply.
He didn’t even look at Richard.
His brows were faintly furrowed, eyes locked on the screen—filled with the same anger and irritation he’d carried since entering.
That emotion was so raw, ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the room fell gradually silent.
The quieter it got, the clearer the sound of the sea came through—the splash of bodies hitting water.
Splash!
Waves rippled and broke.
White foam burst where the rookies plunged in, then their heads emerged one by one above the dark waves.
The swimming test had begun.
Hesh was the first to cut through the surf, Tom close behind.
“Huh?”
Leaving Hilde behind.
“What’s with his face?”
