Bitter Taste of Defeat

The dining hall buzzed with lively chatter as students filled the room, a stark contrast to the tense battleground they had left behind. Rows of long tables lined the space, each team sitting together, discussing the day's events. At one table, Joon-ho, Hyun-ae, and Tae-young stared gloomily at their lunch trays. The meals before them consisted of bland boiled vegetables and a single scoop of plain rice, a stark punishment for their failure to complete Instructor Dong-soo's challenge.

Tae-young poked at the lifeless green beans with his fork, his expression a mix of frustration and disbelief.

"This is humiliating," he muttered under his breath. "All because of that ridiculous time limit."

Hyun-ae sighed, taking a hesitant bite of the mushy carrots.

"At least we weren't outright eliminated," she said, attempting to find some solace in the situation. "And... we did corner him. That's something."

Joon-ho crossed his arms, glaring at his tray.

"Cornering doesn't count for anything if we can't finish the job. We were this close," he said, holding his fingers millimetres apart. "And then those other instructors swooped in."

Across the room, at a smaller, round table reserved for the instructors, Instructor Dong-soo was enjoying a far more appetizing meal: a perfectly grilled chicken breast, steamed rice, and a side of miso soup. He savoured each bite, clearly relishing the contrast between his plate and those of his students. Around him, the other four instructors were not about to let him off the hook so easily.

Instructor Ji-woo leaned back in his chair, grinning.

"You're something else, Dong-soo. Going overtime again. What is it with you and pushing your students to the brink?"

Instructor Min-ji chuckled, her chopsticks tapping lightly against her bowl.

"He's lucky we showed up when we did. Another minute, and he'd have been toast. One-armed or not, even you couldn't have survived those three in the end."

Instructor Dong-soo rolled his eyes, though a faint smirk tugged at his lips.

"They needed the lesson," he said defensively. "And besides, I wasn't about to lose. I had a plan."

Instructor Seung-hyun raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, sure, you did. That's why you looked like a cornered rat right before we stepped in," his voice was teasing, but there was a hint of admiration in it too. "Admit it—you were glad to see us."

Dong-soo took a sip of water, choosing not to dignify the jab with a response. Instead, Instructor Hye-won chimed in, her tone light but firm.

"You know, Dong-soo, there's a fine line between pushing them to grow and outright exhausting them. We all agreed to stop at lunch, and yet, here we are."

Instructor Dong-soo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

"They're assassins," he said simply. "If they can't handle a little extra pressure now, how will they fare in the real competition?"

Instructor Ji-woo laughed, shaking his head.

"Classic Dong-soo logic. Just don't forget—they're still students, not pros yet."

Back at the students' table, Tae-young watched the instructors from the corner of his eye, his irritation mounting.

"Look at them," he said, his voice low. "Laughing and eating like nothing happened. They didn't even give us a chance to finish what we started."

Hyun-ae nudged him gently.

"Let it go, Tae-young. You'll get another shot. We all will."

Joon-ho sighed, his expression softening slightly.

"Maybe. But next time, we'll make sure he doesn't have anyone to bail him out."

As the three continued their subdued lunch, the air between them carried a mix of determination and frustration. They had tasted defeat today, but it wasn't the end. Their eyes occasionally drifted to the instructors' table, silently vowing that next time, they wouldn't just corner their opponent—they'd win.

The dining hall remained lively as everyone settled into their meals, but the conversations at various tables shifted from idle chatter to animated recounts of the day's lessons. The instructors' table was no exception, their camaraderie interspersed with gentle ribbing aimed at Dong-soo.

"So, Dong-soo," Instructor Ji-woo began, taking a sip from his tea. "I suppose you think you're the only one who gave their students a challenge today?"

"You're saying you pushed them like I did? I doubt it," Instructor Dong-soo raised an eyebrow.

"No, not quite like you. But I made sure Chin-hwa, Jin-kyong, and Kyung-mi didn't coast through today either. They spent hours working on their marksmanship accuracy—moving targets, tricky wind simulations, the works. By the end, they weren't even thinking about their scores anymore, just the mechanics of their shots. Chin-hwa was already top-tier, but even he admitted it wasn't easy," Instructor Ji-woo smirked.

"Marksmanship drills sound tame compared to what my roamers went through. I took Kyu, Min-jae, and Kang-dae on a full map traversal exercise. Stealth paths, quick rotations, and synchronized movements while countering hypothetical threats—it's not just about being fast, but efficient. Kang-dae did well with the heavy lifting, but Kyu... that one's unique. Now I'm starting to see why the Director herself wanted him to be in the first team," Instructor Min-ji leaned forward, balancing her chopsticks between her fingers.

"Roamer training suits his style," Instructor Seung-hyun said, nodding. "Though it sounds like it was more of a tactical puzzle. My Fighters, on the other hand, worked on raw endurance and instinct. Hana, Soo-jin, and Hi-ah had to spar in rapid succession without breaks, adjusting their tactics on the fly. Hana's offensive timing improved, and Hi-ah's defensive stances were solid. Soo-jin though... that girl's a powerhouse. Relentless."

Instructor Hye-won smiled as she adjusted her glasses, chiming in softly. "Magic training isn't as flashy, but In-su, Baek-hyeon, and Sang-hee went through gruelling spellcasting drills. Sustained casting under pressure and layering offensive and defensive spells at the same time. Baek-hyeon has potential but lacks confidence; Sang-hee's got precision but needs to work on her endurance. In-su, though... he's ahead. No surprise there."

"Sounds like you all stuck to the basics," Instructor Dong-soo said, smirking faintly. "Useful, but not exactly pushing boundaries."

"Basics with purpose," Instructor Min-ji replied, her tone sharp but not unkind. "We're here to teach, not reenact a battle royale."

Instructor Hye-won chuckled. "We all have our styles, Dong-soo. But you do tend to take yours a bit far."

The conversation shifted back to their meals, but the instructors' reflections highlighted a key difference: each had tailored their lessons to their students' specific needs. Unlike Instructor Dong-soo's overwhelming, almost reckless style, the others had kept things balanced—challenging, yet controlled.

Across the room, students at different tables were immersed in their discussions. Chin-hwa recounted the difficulty of Instructor Ji-woo's drills to Jin-kyong and Kyung-mi, while Hana excitedly shared stories of her sparring sessions with Soo-jin and Hi-ah. Kyu, ever observant, quietly evaluated Min-jae's thoughts on the roamer training, while Kang-dae reminisced about the tactical exercises.

At one corner of the room, In-su was deep in conversation with Sang-hee and Baek-hyeon about spellcasting techniques, animatedly demonstrating subtle hand gestures and verbal incantations. Each group, though tired, seemed invigorated by the day's lessons.

Still, one thing was clear: no matter the approach, every instructor had achieved the same result. Their students were learning, improving, and adapting, each one preparing for the challenges ahead in their unique way.

For Joon-ho, Hyun-ae, and Tae-young, however, the bitter taste of failure lingered. As they picked at their bland meals, their gazes occasionally drifted toward the instructors' table, wondering what it would take to overcome the gap between student and mentor. While Instructor Dong-soo's methods had frustrated them, they couldn't deny that his relentless style had pushed them to their limits.

Perhaps, they thought, that was the lesson itself.

As the lunch hour wore on, the room gradually filled with a more relaxed energy. Students recounted their lessons, some with excitement, others with a tinge of frustration. Despite the variety of approaches taken by their instructors, one common thread wove through all the conversations: growth. Whether it was mastering a spell, perfecting a tactic, or enduring gruelling physical tests, each student had faced challenges that pushed them beyond their limits.

At the instructors' table, Instructor Dong-soo leaned back slightly, observing the students. He couldn't help but notice the spark of determination in their eyes—even those who had been subjected to his brutal regimen. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he glanced at his colleagues, who were engaged in a debate about the merits of their different teaching styles.

Instructor Ji-woo, ever pragmatic, was arguing for precision and efficiency.

"You don't need to break them down completely to build them up. Incremental improvements stick better."

Instructor Seung-hyun shrugged.

"True, but nothing prepares them for chaos like throwing them into it. Controlled chaos, of course."

Instructor Hye-won chuckled softly.

"And here I thought magic was complex. It seems to teach Fighters is an art in itself."

Instructor Dong-soo didn't join in. He didn't need to. He understood that, ultimately, there was no single "correct" method to train students. Each instructor had their strengths, and each student responded differently. Instructor Ji-woo's precision, Instructor Min-ji's tactical puzzles, Instructor Seung-hyun's endurance drills, Instructor Hye-won's magical intricacies, and even his unorthodox challenges—all of them worked, in their way. Improvement was the only metric that mattered.

Back at the students' tables, Tae-young finally spoke, breaking the reflective silence among his group.

"You know," he said, stirring his bland meal, "I think... we're getting better."

"Is that your roundabout way of saying Instructor Dong-soo's crazy training helped?" Hyun-ae scoffed.

"Maybe. But let's not tell him that," Joon-ho grinned faintly.

The three shared a quiet laugh, their earlier frustration giving way to a sense of grudging respect. Perhaps, they thought, the method didn't matter as long as it yielded results.

Across the dining area, the buzz of voices blended into a hum of determination. No matter how they had been taught, every student knew they had grown today. And that, in the end, was all that counted.